Why visit an Osteopath
Why visit an Osteopath?
With a growing trend of people qualifying in a health care professions who have the ability to help treat injuries, I wanted to write a little blog on why visiting an osteopath could benefit you.
To become an Osteopath, we have to undertake a degree at either bachelors or masters level, with some universities offering diplomas in Naturopathy. Most courses are 4 years full time but some can be done over more years as a part time course.
In those 4 years of study, everything about the human body is covered and I mean EVERYTHING! Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, gynaecology and obstetrics, human dissection, pharmacology, psychology and radiology are just a few subjects to name.
From the first week of term we are observing the human body in standing examinations! After the first year we are qualified in massage therapy, which I took and decided to find a job doing sports massage to help develop my knowledge whilst working alongside clients.
From year two, clinic observation starts to allow us from year 3, to see our own clients within a clinic setting, so that means by the end of the 4 year degree, every qualified osteopath has a minimum of 2 years of clinic experience.
AFTER QUALIFICATION
As part of our yearly registration, every osteopath has previously had to do 30 hours of CPD (Continual Professional Development) which comprised of 15 hours of learning with others and 15 hours learning by themselves. This year, the CPD structure has changed. It is now 90 hours over 3 years but it is still a minimum of 30 hours a year. There is also a structure that we have to follow which now includes; peer review, communication and consent and objective activity. This has been done to help us offer the best practice and service to our clients.
Being able to do CPD allows us to attend courses and even complete other qualifications that we are interested in.
WHY ARE WE DIFFERENT
Some osteopaths describe our degree as a medical degree for the first two years and then we go on to specialise. Part of our degree is medical diagnosis. We are taught all the signs and symptoms, complications and red flags that are associated with medical diagnoses. We cannot treat some conditions but it allows us to refer you to other medical professions that we deem necessary.
I commonly get asked what is the difference between an Osteopath, a physiotherapist and a chiropractor. Firstly, everything listed above is one big difference. Secondly, it’s the philosophies we are taught on how to be an Osteopath. These come from the founder of Osteopathy, A.T.Still.
The General Osteopathic Council who each registered Osteopath is regulated by describes Osteopathy as…
osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.
To an osteopath, for your body to work well, its structure must also work well. So osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery. Osteopaths use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms. They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring.
WHY VISIT REFORM AND RENEW OSTEOPATHY
I ( Abigail Fudge) qualified as an Osteopath in 2011 with a Masters Degree in Osteopathy and a Diploma in Naturopathy. Since I qualified, I have completed additional courses in Cranial Osteopathy and Dry Needling which I use in day to day practice. I have also completed a number of courses including; Taping for injuries, Low Level Laser Therapy and Nutrition. I have 8 years of qualified osteopathic experience with an additional 2 years in university clinic and 11 years of treating clients with sports massage therapy.
To offer the best course of treatment to each client, I tailor their examination to their needs and with their consent put together a treatment plan that will suit them best along with advice including hydrotherapy and exercise prescription. I have been known to be very honest to some clients, some may or may not like that but I do it for the patients best interest. If I advice you not to so something, it’s out of the clients best interest. The help each patient, I also use my own personal history of injuries to help each client.
At Reform and Renew Osteopath, we encourage clients to contact us if they have any questions or concerns so they can get the best possible outcome of their treatments.