Your First Visit

Before you are seen by the osteopath you will be asked to complete a medical health questionnaire and to read and sign a patient information form. This form is available for downloading should you wish to view it prior to your visit.

During this first visit the osteopath will take a detailed case history including asking questions about your symptoms, past medical history, operations, illnesses and accidents.

It is important to establish:-

A clear picture of your symptoms/complaint.
The sequence of events which led to you developing symptoms.
An understanding of how this affects you in your daily life.
An appreciation of your current and past general health so that treatment can be tailored to suit your individual needs.
The reason why you have sought help now.

A good thorough case history is the first step towards understanding a patient’s problem, so bear with us if the process appears a little long winded. Osteopaths work holistically and as we don’t have access to your medical records it is important to gain as much information as possible. You can help us by bringing a list of any medication which you take.

Once the case history has been taken the osteopath will examine you. It is normal to ask patients to undress down to their underwear to assess posture and observe how the spine and other joints move.

Although you may be consulting us for your neck don’t be surprised if we want to see all of your skeletal framework. Osteopaths observe the whole body to assess whether another part of the body is influencing the area where you experience the symptoms (for example – dropped arches in the feet may cause the knees and hips to roll inwards leading to an increase in the curve of the lumbar spine which in turn increases the strain at the base of the neck.)

Shorts can be worn during the examination/treatment. You can either bring your own or ask the osteopath to supply you with some (we keep a selection to fit all shapes and sizes!)

yourfirstvisit2 Appropriate tests will be performed as necessary, such as taking your blood pressure, taking reflexes or examining your nervous system. The osteopath will normally palpate your spine and test the mobility of your joints once you are lying down on the treatment table.

The aim of the history taking and examination is to get a complete picture of your complaint and your general health. By understanding and locating the true cause of the problem (which may go back to a fall downstairs many years before) we can address this cause with treatment rather than just treating the symptoms.

The osteopath will discuss their findings with you and outline a treatment plan. You may be given advice on exercises, posture and tips on how best to manage your condition. You will normally be given treatment on your first visit. See What does treatment involve?

Occasionally osteopathic treatment is not appropriate and your osteopath will advise you on what to do next, this may involve you being referred to your G.P. for further tests or investigations.