What to expect on your first appointment
Case History
On your first appointment I am going to go through a few things before I start on your treatment. First off, you’ll be asked a lot of questions about why you have come to see me, this will include questions such as-
- what your problem is and when/how it started
- how your problem has progressed since it started
- activities/movements that aggravate or relieve your pain
- how your pain varies over the course of a day
- what you hope to achieve from osteopathic treatment
You will also be asked about your work, any activities or sports you do, how well you sleep, your diet and your current and past medical history to see if any of this could be affecting your presenting complaint and to check that it is safe for you to receive osteopathic treatment.
Examination
From this information I will consider several possible causes for your problem and will then perform different examination techniques to narrow these down to the most likely cause. I will always look at your overall posture and your spinal mobility before doing specific joint examinations so that I can start to understand how you move as a whole person and whether or not you may be holding yourself awkwardly due to your current problem. Other tests that may be performed include muscle power, sensation, nerve tests, ligament stability tests and joint range of movement.
So that I can see the areas that I am working on and to perform the tests successfully I will ask you to undress as far as you are comfortable. If you prefer you can wear shorts or leggings and a vest top or sports bra. As long as the clothing is not restrictive to movement it is ok to wear.
Treatment Plan
Once the examination is complete I will then explain to you the most likely cause of your problem and discuss the best treatment plan for you. In the majority of cases treatment will then progress as discussed and will include hands on manipulation of the affected joints and muscles. A very small minority of cases may require further testing which cannot be done in this clinic, things such as X-rays or MRIs. In these circumstances we will discuss the best referral method and any other advice I can give you at that time.
Aftercare
At the end of your treatment session I will prescribe 2-3 exercises that you can do at home to continue working on the areas identified during the examination. Other aftercare advice will also be given along the lines of use of hot or cold compresses, strapping if required and a suggestion of when you may be able to return to your normal activities.
