Osteopathy
A visit to the Osteopath
The Osteopath begins a consultation by exploring the
patient’s background and conducting a thorough
investigation of his or her medical history, consulting
X-rays and medical records.
When you visit for the first time a full case
history will be taken and you will be given an examination.
You will normally be asked to remove some of your clothing
and to perform a simple series of movements. Through
a series of specific palpations, we determine the areas
of the body that lack mobility and affect the patient’s
general health.
This initial check-up allows the practitioner to establish
a detailed diagnosis.
The therapist will then gear the session to locating
and restoring balance to the impaired or damaged structures.
The Osteopath’s gestures are gentle and
painless, and are designed to stimulate the body’s
own mobility.
The Osteopath selects the technique that is the most
comfortable, and best suited to each individual, according
to his age and build.
For example, both the knee and the stomach can loose
their mobility, but since they are made up of very different
types of tissue, different treatment techniques are
required for each.
The practitioner then works with his hands to stimulate
the body’s physiological systems, and can apply
a variety of techniques to the following areas:
| - The articular system: bones,
ligaments, tendons, for example the ankle, the sacroiliac,
the skull bones. |
| - The digestive system: the liver,
the stomach, the bladder and the intestines. |
| - The vascular, respiratory, nervous
and muscular systems; the fascia. |
The duration of a session will
vary according to the complaint. For acute pain, two
or three sessions may be sufficient. For chronic conditions,
treatment may be longer, and it is a common error to
believe that the absence of pain signifies the condition
has been cured. |
