What to Expect at Your First Appointment, Subsequent Appointments and other Q&As

Allow an hour for your first appointment.

CASE HISTORY: During your first consultation, your osteopath will take a full and comprehensive case history. This includes not only details of your presenting symptoms but also your medical history and current systemic health, as these can unknowingly be interrelated. Your osteopath will also be interested in you as a unique individual with a distinct set of circumstances and symptoms. This is especially pertinent if you are currently physically unable to engage in activities you enjoy, such as sports, hobbies, or other activities.

EXAMINATION: Next, your osteopath will examine the site of pain or discomfort and relevant related areas that may be associated with this. This will include an active examination, where you will be asked to move your spine, arms, and so on, and a passive examination, where you can relax on the plinth while your osteopath tests range of motion and tissue quality. Your osteopath may also conduct a series of clinical neurological tests.

DIAGNOSIS: Combining the information from your case history and physical examination, your osteopath will provide a diagnosis of what they believe to be the dysfunction (the "what"), the cause of the dysfunction (the "why"), and their suggestions for suitable treatments specific to you. Finally, a guide on how many sessions you should expect to resolve or minimize your symptoms will be provided. Your osteopath aims to get you better as soon as possible with a combination of treatments and mini-treatments (see below) that you can do at home. Some conditions that are more complex, involve symptoms in multiple sites, or are chronic in nature may require an ongoing treatment plan, but your osteopath will do their best to keep these to a minimum while you work towards returning to your normal level of function.

It must be noted that not all patients are suitable for treatment, not because we do not want to help you, but because it may be in your best interest to seek treatment elsewhere, such as A&E in extreme conditions. However, your osteopath is here not only to treat you but also to ensure you are in the hands of the best healthcare professionals, so we also offer advice on who would be best for you to see.

TREATMENT: If we believe you to be safe and suitable for treatment, your osteopath will discuss the available treatments and will consistently confer with you about the pressure used, ensuring you experience minimal discomfort during this time, particularly when focusing on a painful or uncomfortable area.

MINI-TREATMENTS/AFTER CARE: Many osteopaths like to provide aftercare advice. At White Horse View Osteopaths, at the end of your treatment, we will give you some “Mini Treatments” to do at home. These will mimic some of the hands-on work performed during your treatment, helping you recover faster.

What to Expect at Any Follow-Up Appointments

Now that we have your full medical history, your next consultation will start with a few basic questions, such as how you felt after your last treatment. This will guide your osteopath in determining whether they can use stronger, more direct techniques or if your body responds better to gentle, rhythmic treatment. We are all completely different! Your osteopath will also discuss changes in anything that previously aggravated your symptoms. We will talk about how you managed with your mini-treatments; there are many variations, and your osteopath wants to ensure that the aftercare advice is just right for you. You will be re-examined to elicit any structural changes, and then treatment will commence.

What to Bring

If you have any pre-diagnosed medical conditions, it is useful to bring documentation from your doctor or specialist, such as reports from an MRI, X-ray, and so on.

It can be very helpful to have access to the area of discomfort/pain and any areas your osteopath believes may be related to these symptoms. This allows us to assess signs of skin changes (color, dimpling, temperature), muscle bulk, smoothness of movement, and more, which can tell us a lot about what is going on underneath the skin. Therefore, it may be helpful for patients to wear modest underwear during the examination. Some patients may wish to bring shorts or a crop top if they feel more comfortable.

Patients can be examined in their clothes, but they should understand that the signs mentioned above may not be observable. While the extra information is helpful, we can work around it.

Will I Get Clicked?

Not necessarily. Osteopathic manipulation can be valuable in certain circumstances, but it is not required.

If you do not wish to have manipulation, this should be discussed with your osteopath. For example, if you found it painful previously, or if you are unsure because you don’t know what actually happens, many people worry that one bone clicks on another (which it doesn’t!).

In any case, you are in complete control of the treatment you receive, and if you don’t want a particular type of treatment, your wishes will be fully respected. There are many ways to achieve the same outcome using other osteopathic techniques!

Do You Treat Using Cranial Osteopathy?

Yes, we treat both children and adults using cranial osteopathic techniques. Cranial osteopathy is gentle and painless, using subtle movements to relieve tensions and strains in the body. Although the treatment usually involves the cranium, these highly specialized skills can be utilized in all areas of the body, commonly the sacrum (the tailbone), which is at the base of the spine and has a direct connection to the cranium. The treatment can be so calming and relaxing that some patients fall asleep—it happens more often than you think! Some people may feel a little tired or thirsty after treatment. Your osteopath will tell you more about it during your consultation.

How Will I Feel After Treatment?

This varies from person to person. Sometimes, patients feel an immediate increase in range of movement and a release of tense muscles. Other times, it may take a day or two to feel the full effects of treatment. Some patients may feel thirsty after treatment (and we will offer you a glass of water!), while others may feel very tired. We will discuss all major possible outcomes with you during your consultation and offer you aftercare advice and mini-treatments to help minimize any symptoms following treatment.

Is There Parking?

There is ample parking at the front, side and rear of the building. Full address is 23 Leafield Way, Neston, Corsham, Wiltshire. SN13 9RS https://w3w.co/skip.surcharge.hops

Can I Claim on My Medical Insurance?

It depends! Speak to your insurer first to check if you have coverage for osteopathic treatment. If they do, White Horse Osteopaths will provide you with a receipt at the end of each appointment that you can use to claim back your treatment fees. Unfortunately, we cannot be invoiced directly by your insurer.

Lucy Osborne-Kirby is affiliated with Aviva, AXA PPP, Prudential, and Simply Health.

What Happens If I Need to Cancel My Appointment?

We understand that unforeseen problems can occur that may prevent you from attending your booked appointment. If you find yourself in this position, we are happy to reschedule your appointment at no cost if a minimum of 24 hours' notice is given. This will enable us to reallocate that time to another patient who may be in urgent need of help if there is a waiting list for that day.

We reserve the right to charge the full cost of treatment for any appointments that are missed.