What is the difference between Osteopaths/Chiropractors/Physiotherapists
This must be one of the most commonly asked questions! The truth is there are a lot of similarities since we all help people with musculoskeletal problems.
Osteopathy and Chiropractic share similar roots and many of the hands-on techniques that we use appear similar. Physiotherapy is the ‘physical therapy’ side of conventional medicine.
Osteopaths always assess and treat the whole body/person (holistic) and we often have longer appointments so we have plenty of time to listen to you, identify the root cause of your symptoms and any potential contributing factors and still have time to attend to the soft tissue aspects of a problem as well as the mechanical side.
We also prescribe exercises where appropriate to complement what we are trying to achieve with our hands but not, or very rarely, to the exclusion of hands-on treatment.
Do I have to be referred by a doctor?
No, anyone can refer themselves.
Can I bring someone with me to the appointments?
Yes that’s not a problem.
Do you have a waiting room?
No unfortunately we don’t have that facility and ask patients to arrive at their appointment time or wait in their cars until ready. Chris includes time between appointments to clean the room and get ready for the next patient so is rarely, if ever, running late!
What should I expect at the initial consultation and treatment?
A detailed case history will be taken where we ask all about the presenting complaint, how it started, how it is affecting you, what aggravates or relieves it and so on. We also want to know about any past history of musculoskeletal problems as well as your past medical history in general and any significant events like accidents or surgery.
This is followed by a physical assessment where we can assess posture, movement and function. Apart from what we can see we also get a lot of information from feeling the tissues and joints - what we call palpation. We may also perform special tests to assess the condition of nerves, joints, muscles and ligaments.
Having carried out this assessment we should be able to come to a ‘working diagnosis’ and we would then explain our findings to you and discuss your treatment options. With your consent we would then progress to some treatment.
What should I wear for my appointment?
Ideally we would like to be able to see the area that is causing issues, but above all we want you to be comfortable during the session. We might ask patients to remove some clothing so that we can most accurately assess and best treat the problem, and sometimes that means patients remain in their underwear. However if you prefer to bring along shorts and/or a vest, or to stay covered, that’s not a problem.
Can I speak to the Osteopath before arranging an appointment?
Yes. If you have any questions or concerns we are more than happy to speak with you. Please call: (01252) 722912 or email: chrispinches@hotmail.co.uk
Do you offer home visits?
Unfortunately we do not offer home visits.
Can you provide receipts for treatment?
Yes. We can provide receipts for your own personal use or for insurance companies so that you can claim back on your policy if required.
Are you recognised by Health Insurance companies?
Yes I am recognised by most Health Insurance companies including AXAPPP, Simply Health and Aviva.
What is your Cancellation Policy?
We require 24 hours notice to incur no charge. Otherwise the full appointment rate is required. Personal circumstances can be taken into consideration.