What To Expect
Initial Consultation
Please arrive at the clinic 5-10 minutes before your appointment to complete a health history and consent form. It is helpful if you wear comfortable, loose fitting or stretchy clothing. Once the consultation begins, your osteopath will take a detailed case history about your current complaint, as well as asking about your health and medical history. This helps us understand how your complaint is affecting you, and the factors that may have predisposed you to the problem. Once we have a thorough understanding of your complaint, we start the examination process. In some cases it you may be requested to remove part of your clothing, for example taking off your top (but always leaving bra and underwear on). There are many clinical signs that cannot be seen through clothing, for example redness and swelling. It is always your choice about undressing, and if you prefer to remain fully clothed we can work around that.
During the examination the osteopath will check your range of motion, examine the tissue quality of various areas, and assess how tension in other parts of your body may be contributing to the current problem. After the examination, your osteopath will discuss their diagnosis with you and explain how treatment will proceed. The treatment itself involves a variety of hands-on osteopathic techniques to relieve tension, and allow the body to move freely and function well again. The techniques are chosen according to the individual patient and their presenting problem. If you are aware of specific techniques which have or have not worked well for you in the past, please let us know. After the treatment you may be given advice to help with your recovery, such as stretching and exercise recommendations. Your comfort and autonomy is of upmost importance to us, and we will seek consent throughout the examination and treatment process.
Follow-up Consultations
When you come back for follow up treatments, we will first establish how your symptoms have changed following the previous treatment. After a quick update on the history and examination, we continue treatment as with the initial consultation, modifying our approach as necessary. There is no set number of treatments we prescribe for a particular condition, how your body responds is dependent on many factors and we adapt as necessary. One of the primary tenants of osteopathy is 'Find it, fix it, leave it alone'. We believe in the innate healing capacity of the human body, as so will only do the minimum number of treatments required in order to get your body functioning well again.
Baby or Child Consultations
It can be helpful to arrive a little early in order to settle your baby or child into the clinic environment. We make a point of being family friendly. Feel free to bring along favorite toys, books or snacks that will help your child to feel comfortable. Our osteopaths are experienced parents themselves and will put you and your child at ease. The history, examination and treatment process follows the same outline as the adults, but the specifics are modified to suit the age of the baby or child. The osteopath will be gentle with your child at all times, we have many suitable techniques we can use and we follow the cues given to us by the baby or child as to how comfortable they are with a particular technique. After the treatment, your child may be more tired than usual so we recommend a quiet day to help them integrate the changes from the treatment.
Mother and Baby Consultation
We offer combined consultations for both mother and baby at a discounted rate. During the combined consultation, some mothers find it helpful to bring along a support person to hold baby while the mother has her treatment. This is entirely optional and our osteopaths are very much used to rocking a capsule with their foot, or popping in a pacifier to soothe baby while the mother has her treatment. Many of the techniques we use for mothers can be performed whilst they are holding or feeding their baby.
Free Baby Check (babies up to six months old)
We understand that your brand new baby is the most precious thing in the world to you! Some parents have heard of osteopathy for babies but are unsure about what it involves or whether it is right for them. These free checks offer you a chance to meet your osteopath and gain an understanding of how osteopathy may benefit your baby. Please arrive early to fill out the information and consent form, and to settle your baby. The free check usually lasts around ten minutes. Your osteopath will take a brief history and examine your baby, and then advise you as to whether osteopathic treatment may be able to help. You will be able to ask questions, and to book a full consultation if you choose to go ahead.