Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together. Osteopaths believe that for your body to work well, its structure must also work well and work to restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery.

Osteopaths are able to treat many conditions, including but not limited to the following:

• Acute and chronic back and low back pain
• Circulatory problems
• Degenerative Conditions (Including Osteoarthritis)
• Digestive problems
• Elbow, wrist & hand pain, including tennis elbow
• Fibromyalgia and Chronic pain
• Generalised aches and pains
• Headaches & Migraines
• Hip, Knee & Foot Pain
• Joint pain & Arthralgia
• Lumbago
• Muscle strains, cramp, spasm & Ligamentous sprains
• Neck & Shoulder pain (including frozen shoulder)
• Nerve Pain (e.g Sciatica)
• Pregnancy Related Back & Pelvic Pain (including pelvic girdle pain PGP)
• Post Surgical Rehabilitation
• Postural Problems/Issues
• Rheumatic pain
• Sports Injuries
• Tension and inability to relax
• Tendinitis & Tendinopathy

If your complaint is not above, please do contact us to see if we can help.

On your first visit your Osteopath will ask you about your current symptoms, lifestyle, diet and medical history.  Though the case history they will consider more serious diagnoses and will refer you on to an appropriate medical practitioner if necessary. Following the case history, they will complete an examination involving looking at your posture and your movement and carrying out any special tests where relevant, specific to the condition you are presenting with.  If treatment is appropriate, they will explain a plan for treatment and advise and discuss with you any further action and advice that might be required including rehabilitation exercises and lifestyle advice if appropriate.

In the UK, the osteopathic profession is regulated by the General Osteopathic Council and by law, an osteopath must be registered with the Council to practise. To remain registered, they must comply with strict regulatory requirements and high standards of professional practice. They must also maintain regular professional development.  These requirements give patients the same sort of guarantees and protection as those given by doctors and dentists.

Osteopaths are recognised by NHS England as Allied Health Professionals, playing a critical role in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of people of all ages.  Osteopaths are able to work within the NHS and are respected in both private and public sectors

Osteopaths are trained to degree level attaining either a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or integrated Masters (MOst). Training takes a minimum of four years and includes a requirement to have over 1000 hours clinical experience with patients prior to registration.

All our osteopaths are trained to Masters degree level or higher, and are continually striving to learn by following specialist postgraduate training and CPD courses. The human body is complex, and healthcare is constantly evolving. As such, we feel very passionate about keeping our knowledge current and ensuring we keep at the forefront of changes in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal and women’s health conditions. 

We hold professional membership of the Institute of Osteopathy.

It may be necessary for your osteopath to ask you to remove some clothing, so that they can assess the areas of the body causing concern. If you are uncomfortable undressing to your underwear, you can bring with you clothing such as shorts, t-shirt or comfortable garments, such as tracksuit bottoms, that will enable them to work effectively without making you feel uncomfortable.  Your verbal consent will always be sought in advance before being asked to remove any clothing.

All information will be treated as confidential in accordance with the standards of practice set out by the General Osteopathic Council and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), May 2018.

We are covered by many major health insurance companies including Aviva, Bupa, Vitality and WPA.  As the level of cover varies between policies, please check in advance with your insurance company before seeking osteopathic treatment, in order to confirm the available level of cover and whether you will need to have a referral from your GP or a specialist.  Please contact us prior to your appointment if you would like to use private healthcare insurance.

Yes, of course, you may feel more comfortable bringing a friend or your partner with you to your appointment, on your first or any subsequent. We understand that seeing someone for the first time can be a strange and for some a stressful experience. Minors under the age of 16 will be required to have a parent/guardian/carer with them during any treatment, who can consent to the treatment given.

You are also more than welcome to bring your baby or child to your appointments if you are unable to arrange childcare. We are a family friendly practice and want to make things as easy as possible for you.  Please note there are steps up to the clinic, which can be navigated with a buggy (especially if someone is around to help!) and, once you enter the building there is a lift to the lower ground floor. If you have any issues with access requirements, please let us know prior to the appointment and we will endeavour to help.

Please let us know prior to the appointment if you would like someone to accompany you.

In general, the first treatment lasts about 45 minutes, and subsequent treatments around half an hour. Your first appointment is usually slightly longer to allow for a full case history to be taken.

Some people feel fantastic after an osteopathic treatment, with a significant reduction in pain levels and increased mobility. However, it is not uncommon after any physical therapy, including Osteopathic care, to continue to experience symptoms or even feel sore or tired. Sometimes the symptoms may become worse before they become better (called the rebound effect), although they usually settle down after the first 24-48 hours. Recovery from injury is not a straight line, there will quite often be ups and downs and this is completely normal. Depending on what your injury is, how long you have been in pain, the severity of your symptoms and how you use your body on a day to day basis, recovery can vary. Often it can take time and may require several appointments before you start to feel an improvement. We will always discuss and agree this with you and if we feel you are not making the recovery that is expected, we may refer you for imaging or to another healthcare practitioner. If you have any concerns or wish to discuss your treatment please do not hesitate to get in contact with us and we will do our best to help you. You may find that any concern that you have is based on a misconception or a misunderstanding. We will be more than happy to give you as much information as you would like about your condition and your treatment and will hopefully be able to put you at ease.

Most patients ‘self refer’ to an osteopath for treatment. Although referral by a GP is not necessary, patients are encouraged to keep both their GP and osteopath fully informed, so that their medical records are current and complete and the patient receives the best possible care from both healthcare practitioners.

Most osteopaths work in the private sector, either alone or in a group practice, and some offer services through the NHS. In some areas, doctors are able to refer patients to an osteopath for treatment funded by the NHS. To find out if NHS treatment is available in your area, speak to your GP and/or contact your local clinical commissioning group. There is more information on who to contact in your region on the NHS website.

LymphaTouch is a medical device which produces a negative pressure, or vacuum, on the skin to stimulate lymphatic drainage and treat scars. Controlling the negative pressure allows us to work with your body to help remove excess fluid from the tissues and improve healing and overall health and well-being.

LymphaTouch

How does LymphaTouch Negative Pressure work on scars?
LymphaTouch can improve the function and feeling of a scar and enhances how a scar heals. By providing a light suction, we can encourage more blood and lymphatic flow, which is what our body needs to accelerate the healing process.  LymphaTouch can also help with tight, restrictive scars. After surgery, scars may adhere/stick down to the deeper fascial layers, which can be painful, restrictive, and become visibly unsatisfying.  By controlling the negative pressure from LymphaTouch, we can gently lift and release the scar tissue.  Often, the appearance improves once we see improvement in blood flow and scar movement.

What scars can you treat with LymphaTouch?
LymphaTouch can be a treatment tool for most scars from acute to chronic scars.

This includes:

• Fine line scars
• Hypertrophic scars
• Scar contractures
• Burns
• Port hole / keyhole surgery scars

What scars can LymphaTouch not treat?
LymphaTouch shouldn’t be used on Keloid scars. A Keloid scar is an overproduction of collagen laydown, by the body, ontop and over the scar boarder.

Therefore, we would not want to overstimulate this sensitive area.  The gold-standard treatment for keloid scars continues to be compression and the use of silicone.

How soon can you treat a scar?
Direct scar therapy should commence between 6 weeks post-surgery, accident, or trauma.

This falls in line with manual therapy guidelines for scar therapy. Before scar therapy can commence, the scar needs to be fully healed over, with no signs of infection, openings within the scar, stitches present and the individual is happy to touch the scar.

Away from a scar, LymphaTouch can be used at an earlier stage for oedema management.

What can you expect during a treatment?
LymphaTouch is a comfortable treatment. The device has an applicator, known as the treatment head, which has a cup inserted with a soft rubber seal around the head. This is then placed on the skin.  Once applied, you will feel the skin is lifted with the suction. This will feel different depending on what pressures are used and where about the device is used on the body.  You will be asked to remove clothing, where necessary, to expose the skin as the device needs to be directly applied to skin.  Treatment should not be painful and is often very relaxing. On particularly tight scars, you may experience some discomfort caused by pulling the tissues up but should not be painful.

How many treatment sessions are needed?
The number of sessions may vary from 1 session to multiple over several weeks.  It is advised that there is a 3-day rest between each treatment. It is expected within 3 sessions you are likely to see changes to a scar.  The number of sessions required will vary dependent on the type of scar, how old the scar is, client’s tolerance to treatment and how the scar responds to treatment.

What are the benefits of using LymphaTouch for scars?
• Reduced tightness/less pulling
• Pain reduction
• Desensitisation
• Increases scar pliability
• Drains excess swelling
• Improved appearance

Are there any side effects/down time?
It is advised there is 3 days rest between treatments. The reported side-effects are discomfort, tissue redness or bruising and other side-effects that have
been linked to dehydration. Therefore to avoid these, it is advised following a treatment to increase your water consumption up to 2 litres of water in 24 hours following treatment to ensure you are kept hydrated.

What is Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)?: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. It is effective in treating various musculoskeletal conditions by enhancing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and promoting tissue repair.

What conditions can ESWT treat?: ESWT can treat a wide range of conditions, including but not limited to chronic tendon issues such as achilles tendonitis, patella (knee) tendonitis, gluteal tendonitis, hamstring tendonitis, rotator cuff pain, calcific shoulder tendonitis, biceps tendonitis, chronic shoulder, hip and knee pain and conditions such as greater trochanteric pain syndrome (hip), plantar fasciitis (foot), tennis and golfers elbow and shin splints.

How does ESWT work?: ESWT works by delivering high-energy sound waves to the affected area through a handheld device. These shockwaves penetrate the skin and underlying tissues, increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, stimulating cellular activity, and breaking down calcifications. This process accelerates healing and provides pain relief.

Is ESWT painful?: Most patients experience some mild discomfort during ESWT, although we adjust the intensity of the shockwaves to ensure we remain in your comfort and tolerance levels. Some patients may feel mild soreness in the treated area for a short period following the session.

How long does a typical ESWT session last?: A typical ESWT session lasts between 15 to 20 minutes. The number of sessions required varies depending on the condition being treated and the individual’s response to therapy, but most patients need a series of treatments over several weeks.

Are there any side effects?: ESWT is generally well-tolerated with minimal side effects. Some patients may experience mild swelling, redness, or bruising in the treated area, which typically resolves within a few days. Serious side effects are rare and will be explained to you prior to the treatment.

How soon can I expect results from ESWT?: Many patients begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms within a few weeks of starting ESWT. However, the full benefits of the therapy may take several weeks to a few months as the body continues to heal.

Can ESWT be combined with other treatments?: Yes, ESWT can be used in conjunction with other treatments such as physical therapy, medication, and orthotics. Our practitioners at One Health Osteopathy Clinic will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

Is ESWT covered by insurance?: Coverage for ESWT varies by insurance provider and plan. It is best to check with your insurance company to determine if ESWT is covered under your policy. Our clinic can provide necessary documentation to assist with insurance claims.

By addressing these common questions, One Health Osteopathy Clinic aims to provide clarity and confidence to patients considering Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy as a treatment option.  Please contact us via email if you would like further information or to discuss whether it would be suitable for you.