OSTEOPATHY

Osteopathy is a whole-person approach to health.

As highly trained healthcare professionals osteopaths take the time to understand your individual history, circumstances and unique physiology so they can provide you with a personalised plan to get you as healthy as you can be.

Osteopaths have the expertise and training to provide you with a thorough examination, taking the time to find out as much as they can about your current and past health history. They will also undertake physical examinations to ensure that they can provide the most suitable treatment plan, or if needed refer you to other healthcare professionals if required.

Osteopaths do NOT just treat backs!

Of course we do, but Osteopaths treat all joints and muscle dysfunction in the body, from your head attachment to your neck down to elbow, knees, ankles, fingers and feet.

Osteopathy is a system of healthcare which includes clinical reasoning, diagnosis, nutritional and lifestyle advice, exercise therapy and hands-on therapy. Osteopaths are highly-qualified healthcare practitioners who have a Medical Sciences degree, with a specialist knowledge of anatomy and musculo-skeletal conditions. Osteopaths are recognised Allied Health professionals by NHS England (as are paramedics, podiatrists and more). This puts Osteopaths on an equal standing to dentists or physiotherapists and guarantees an equivalent high level of care.

Health Education England (HEE) and the Institute of Osteopathy have published a quick guide to support clinical and workforce leads, operational managers, and any senior leaders who are involved in workforce development to understand the value that osteopaths can bring to productive NHS services and facilitate the best use of the multi-professional workforce.

The Institute of Osteopathy (iO) has teamed up with the NHS and launched iO NHS internships to facilitate the recruitment of more Osteopaths in NHS Musculo-Skeletal (MSK) Teams.

How can an Osteopath Help me?

Osteopaths have a well-deserved, evidence-based reputation for expertise in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, such as back, neck, joint, muscle and arthritic discomfort.

People also visit osteopaths for a variety of other health reasons including neuromuscular conditions such as sciatica, digestive issues, headaches and migraine prevention.

What can I expect during a consultation?

Osteopaths will take the time to understand your symptoms, medical history and lifestyle which in turn will help them make a diagnosis of the cause of your issue.

You will need to undertake a physical examination. This will often comprise for you undertaking some movements and for the osteopath to examine areas to feel for any tightness in the muscles and stiffness in the joints to identify problems.

Sometimes the cause of the problem may be in a different area to the pain, for example, pain in your lower arm may be linked to the nerves in your neck, so they may need to examine your whole body.

Your osteopath may refer you for other tests such as x-rays, MRIs or blood tests. Occasionally they may diagnose an issue that they are unable to treat and may refer you to your GP or another appropriate health professional.

As with any health consultation, they will record this confidential information to form part of your health record and store it in accordance with legal requirements for medical data.

What training do Osteopaths have?

An osteopath must attain specialist degree-level training, either a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) or integrated Masters (MOst.), plus complete over 1000 hours of clinical placements (direct patient contact time).

By law, an osteopath must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) to practise in the UK.

To maintain their registration with GOsC, which is renewed annually, osteopaths must meet mandatory continuous professional development (CPD): keeping skills and knowledge up-to-date and maintaining high standards of professional development.

Am I too young / too old to see an Osteopath?

Osteopaths are trained in therapeutic approaches that are suitable for individuals of all ages, including the frail and the elderly. Osteopathic care is delivered through a range of interventions which may include referral, health education, manual therapy, exercise therapy and nutrition, depending on the individual needs of the patient. Manual therapy techniques may include articulation and manipulation of joints and soft tissues.

Based on evidence submitted to the Committee of Advertising practice (CAP) prior to November 2016, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and CAP accept that Osteopaths can claim to treat the following: Arthritic pain Circulatory problems Cramp Digestion problems Fibromyalgia Frozen shoulder/ shoulder and elbow pain/ tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences) Headache arising from the neck (cervicogenic) Joint pains Joint pains including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core OA treatments and exercise General, acute & chronic backache, back pain (not arising from injury or accident) Generalised aches and pains Lumbago Migraine prevention Minor sports injuries Muscle spasms Neuralgia Tension and inability to relax Rheumatic pain Sciatica Uncomplicated mechanical neck pain.

Ariana diagnoses your condition, and blends osteopathy, massage, advanced K-Laser therapy and nutritional support to speed up the healing process. She empowers patients with graded exercises to build confidence. She keeps you as mobile and healthy as possible in preparation for milestones such as surgery, childbirth or a sporting event.

Ariana enjoys treating patients who cannot afford to be ill, such as the self-employed and individual with parental responsibilities, as they feel accountable for their health and making a difference in getting them back to their normal self is very rewarding. She tends to treat patients from the age of 14. She perhaps sees more patients who are 40 – 80 year old, male or female, with chronic conditions: Musculo-skeletal pain for more than 6 weeks, likely coupled with many conditions such as digestive issues. I also love working with the more mature among us, to support you with adapting to a longer-term situation, offer gentle treatment, typically with K-Laser therapy as well as gentle mobilisations, and possibly chair-based fitness if you have an appetite for gentle exercise and a fear of falling. Above all, it is particularly rewarding to develop a therapeutic partnership with patients who are compliant to treatment frequency and plan.