Payment

The clinic can accept cash, cheque and credit or debit card payments for treatment.  Where appropriate, we can invoice private medical insurance companies directly.

Cancellations

Should you wish to cancel an appointment, please give at least 24 hour’s notice. Late cancellations or missed appointments may incur a fee charged at the practitioners’ discretion.

What happens at my Osteopath Appointment?

The initial appointment includes a consultation and your first treatment session. The whole appointment will last approximately 1 hour. During the consultation a full case history is taken, including details of the symptoms which led you to seek treatment, how long they have been troubling you, possible causes and how they affect your day to day activities. You will also be asked about your medical history, any other current health problems and about any medication you are taking regularly. This further information helps in making a diagnosis and an assessment of whether osteopathic treatment is appropriate for you. You will also be asked about activities and lifestyle as these may be relevant to your condition.

A follow-up treatment lasts 30 minutes. This includes time to discuss your progress and answer any questions you may have following your initial session

Examination and Treatment

The examination involves looking at you standing to begin with, observing posture and areas of muscle tension. Your range of movement in the problem area will also be assessed.  In many cases the osteopath will examine an area of your back, neck or limbs that you may not realise are related to your symptoms. Other tests like tendon reflexes or blood pressure may be carried out.

Depending on the history and examination findings, you will be advised if osteopathic treatment is suitable for your particular problem. Whenever possible, you will also be told how many treatment sessions you are likely to need.

Osteopathic treatment can include massage to stretch muscles and release tension, mobilisation and manipulation of joints, postural advice and exercises to carry out at home. The type of treatment may vary at each session, depending on your progress.

For some patients, osteopathic treatment is not suitable. In this instance some other form of treatment may be recommended or you may need to see your own doctor. If necessary the osteopath can write to your GP to give their findings.