What goes on during Your Osteopathic Session ?

Is this your first session ?

What to expect from Your Osteopathic Session

Patients consulting an osteopath are entitled to a high standard of care. As a patient, you should expect your osteopath to:

Make your care their priority
Involve you in decisions about your care
Respect and protect your privacy during the visit

Treat you with dignity and respect
Respond promptly to your concerns

A Thorough Anamnesis

Listening and Examining:

Osteopathy is a Patient-Centered System of Healthcare. Therefore, a first appointment usually lasts longer than subsequent appointments. Indeed, it provides the osteopath adequate time to:

Listen and ask questions: About your problem, your general health and any other medical care you are receiving or medication you are taking. He will confidentially record this in your case notes.

Examine you properly: Due to the structure of your body, what you are experiencing in one area may be linked to a problem elsewhere.

Hence, the osteopath will choose among the different manual techniques to assess your condition. Either by using:

Soft techniques: The osteopath will use his hands and a highly developed sense of touch (called Palpation) to examine your physical health (joints, tissues, organs and ligaments…).
Structural techniques: The osteopath can observe your posture and mobility through simple movements & stretches.

Therefore, you may be asked to remove some of your clothing. So, Please tell the osteopath, if you are uncomfortable about this (then he will only use soft techniques).
(Privacy to undress is provided, as well as a unique use gown or towel at your convenience. Additionally, you can ask a friend or relative to accompany you during all your treatment).

Through these two steps, the Osteopath also checks for signs of other underlying serious conditions. If he can not treat it, he will advise you. (and you won’t be charged). Further, he will either recommend you to see your GP or go to hospital. Hence, PHHC Osteopaths provide you a referral letter explaining what they believe the problem to be.

An Enlighted & Mutual Consent

Diagnostic and Treatment

An osteopathic session is based on a mutual trust and empathic relation between you and the practitioner. Therefore, your osteopath should :

Give you a clear explanation of what was found (his diagnosis),
Discuss a treatment plan that is the most suitable for you (which can include lifestyle changes).
Explain the benefits and risks of the recommended treatment.

Indeed, it is essential that you understand and agree :

What the treatment can achieve
The potential number of sessions needed for a noticeable improvement of your condition.

The Treatment is always hands-on. It involves various skilled techniques. It ranges from manipulation of the spine, joints, internal organs to soft tissues. Your osteopath should explain what he is doing and always ask your permission before treating you (the mutual consent).

Ask questions at any time, if you are unsure of what you have been told or if you have any concerns.