FAQs

On the day I will need to examine you. I take a full medical history and then we have a chat about your main concerns, and we work out how to resolve them together. You guide the treatment. I always want to know about previous experience with other therapists and what works for you. You know your body and it’s important that I get a good idea of massage pressure, type and mobilisation techniques that work for you. I always ask patients if they are happy with articulations and manipulations before treatment, I tell them they might hear a popping sound but not to worry as its perfectly safe and a release of fluid and gas from joints. I totally understand if this isn’t for you and there are lots of other techniques I can use that are just as effective. Generally, the more relaxed you are during the treatment, the better you will move towards self-healing.

It really depends on the problems you are experiencing. I am always realistic and honest about the number of sessions and unlike many other therapists I’m not in the habit of re booking for the sake of it. If you can manage your symptoms and you are doing well with the exercises I have given you then you can choose to space the treatments out. As a rule I tend to say 3-4 treatments close together (say once weekly) to get to the root cause of the problems and make sure the treatments have a good enough period to work. My patients often see results after the first session and have been know to use words such as ‘lighter’ and ‘easier’ on leaving. I have lots of testimonials online from happy patients so you can also view those to get an inside look at what happens in clinic. Some patients prefer cranial sacral therapy which is less manipulative and extremely gentle and slow. The effects are very powerful and work well on people who prefer energy release and no clicks!

I diagnose lots of conditions in clinic, I studied pathology and diagnosis for several years but the only way I’m so good now is through clinical experience. I will ask a lot of questions during your first session and some of them may not seem related to the problems you came in with. Your history is very important to me as it tells me your body’s journey before we met. It’s also really important that I know any health issues and conditions you may have as well as medication and dosage so that you are safe to treat. Always check with the GP if you are unsure. You can also call me and I’ll give you the best advice I can!

Yes absolutely. I am experienced in reading MRI and X-ray as well as blood tests which often come with a report. Don’t worry about how old the testing is as it’s often relevant and I store it all with your consent so that we can go back to your notes and evaluate any changes. MRI can show problems but they also show me muscular and ligamentous areas that are strong and weak so we can build up an exercise programme to work with them. They are amazingly useful.

I am very adaptable and if you are more comfortable standing in comfy clothes then that’s fine. You will be standing in a nice warm area and to help me diagnose your problems its always best if I can look at the whole body. I ask ladies to wear a comfy bra that opens at the back so that when face down on a massage table I can quickly access the muscles at the back whilst I place a towel ontop of you. Loose shorts or bottoms are always advisable as I may need to move you around on the bed to test your body and the movements you can and can’t do so well.

Yes and yes! Osteopathy is for everyone, and I love it when we get little visitors. I’ve even got toys hanging around clinic to keep them busy. I want to know everything so make sure you bring the little red book and tell me about any recent doctor visits. I also offer cranial sacral treatments for babies which can be hugely beneficial.

Osteopathic treatment is safe during all stages of pregnancy. Generally, patients are checked once a month towards the end of pregnancy. Each patient is individual with specific needs, so I assess and work out the most effective and appropriate techniques each time. It’s an important time to advise on posture as well as ways to help aches and pains when at home. I work with midwives also or antenatal teachers to help develop the right exercises for the different stages. I can show you breast feeding postures, do’s and don’ts post natally as well as advice on how to train the pelvic floor.

During my own birth I lent on the breathing and postural advice I had received through osteopathy and it worked well. I love to hear what works for others!