| Freqently asked questions
How many appointments will I need?
Do I need to be referred by my doctor for treatment?
Are the therapists fully qualified?
What is the difference between osteopaths, physiotherapists & chiropractors?
What does treatment involve?
What are the origins of Osteopathy?
How many appointments will I need?
Our average number of treatments for specific relatively uncomplicated problems is 3-5 sessions. However, some problems such acute muscle strains can be resolved with 1 to 2 treatments. Equally, more chronic problems such as arthritis may require more ongoing maintenance treatment (in the order of one treatment every month or two) to keep symptoms at bay. It may also be valuable to have check ups once in a while to try and spot problems before they escalate.
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Do I need to be referred by my doctor for treatment?
If you are paying for treatment yourself it is not necessary to be referred by your Doctor, although we do welcome contact with your GP or specialist. If your treatment is to be funded by a third party you may need to be referred to us by your Doctor first, it depends on the particular funding body’s policy.
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Are the therapists fully qualified?
The Osteopaths Act (1993) makes it illegal to claim to be an "Osteopath" unless properly qualified, just as it would be illegal to call onself a Doctor or Dentist unless fully qulafied. Our Osteopaths have therefore completed the necessary 4 to 5 year training. Similarly the Practice Physiotherapists are members of the "Chartered Society of Physiotherapy" (MCSP) which guarantees a similar length training and specialisation. All of our other therapists have the appropriate qualifications and insurance to practise.
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What is the difference between osteopaths, physiotherapists & chiropractors?
This is a bit like asking what is the difference between Rugby League and Rugby Union. They have different origins and philosophies but the similarities outway the differences. Physiotherapy has evolved within the othodox medical framework and within the National Health Service in the UK. Osteopathy and Chiropractic have their origins within the private sector. Chiropractic was a branch of Osteopathy that broke away in the beginning of the 20th Century. All three professions use hands-on manipulation of the body to treat musculoskeletal and sometimes other disorders. Chiropractors and osteopaths often use manipulation / mobilisation techniques to the spine and other joints. Chiropractic treatment sessions do not usually incorporate as much treatment of the soft tissues such as deep massage etc. as is involved with osteopathy and physiotherapy. Physiotherapists do not usually get as much training in joint manipulation as osteopaths and chiropractors do but they do usually recieve more training in exercise advice and electrotherapy such as ultrasound and laser treatment. At our clinics our physiotherapists and osteopaths all work together as a team so that our patients recieve the treatment and advice that is most appropriate.
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What does Osteopathic treatment involve?
Osteopaths work with their hands using a wide variety of treatment techniques to suit the individual patient and the problem being treated. These may include soft tissue techniques, rhythmic passive joint mobilisation or high velocity thrust techniques designed to improve mobility and the range of movement of a joint. Gentle release techniques are also widely used, particularly when treating children or elderly patients. This allows the body to return to efficient normal function.
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What are the origins of Osteopathy?
Osteopathy was founded by the American doctor Andrew Taylor Still in 1874. Dr Still was the first physician to fully realise and investigate the profound relationship between the structure of the body and its function with respect to pain and general physiology.
In 1892, Andrew Taylor Still organised a school in Kirksville - Missouri for the teaching of Osteopathy, and it was from these small beginnings that Osteopathy was brought to the UK around the turn of the century.
The first school of Osteopathy in the UK was set up in London in 1917 and over time other schools and colleges followed.
Today there are around 3,000 Osteopaths in the UK performing over six million patient consultations a year.
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