What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is an established recognised system of diagnosis and treatment, which lays its main emphasis on the structural and functional integrity of the body. It is distinctive by the fact that it recognises that much of the pain and disability which we suffer stems from abnormalities in the function of the body structure as well as damage caused to it by disease.

(Description by General Osteopathic Council, 28th October 1998)

What kinds of problems can osteopathy help with?
Whilst back pain is the most common problem seen, osteopathy can help with a wide varied of problems including changes to posture in pregnancy, babies with colic or sleeplessness, repetitive strain injury, postural problems caused by driving or work strain, children with glue ear, the pain of arthritis and sports injuries among many others. Leaflets explaining many of the common treatments used are available from the Osteopathic Information Service.

What can I expect when I visit an osteopath?
When you visit an osteopath for the first time a full case history will be taken and you will be given a full examination. If it is possible to give treatment on the first occasion, this can be done using a wide variety of techniques suited to different problems. You may be asked to perform a simple series of movements to examine the body's own ability to move. The osteopath will then use a highly developed sense of touch, to identify any points of immobility, weakness or excessive strain throughout the body.

The osteopath may need additional investigations such as x-ray or blood tests. This will allow a full diagnosis and suitable treatment plan to be developed for you.

How many treatments will I need?
Every patient is different, but on average for some acute pain 1 - 3 treatments may be all that is necessary. Chronic conditions may take longer and require ongoing maintenance. An average treatment length for a chronic (long term) condition is 6 - 8 sessions. The osteopath will always give some indication after your first visit as to how long the whole condition might be expected to last.

Do I need a referral from my GP?
A formal referral from your GP is not necessary, the majority of osteopathic patients self-refer, but an increasing number of GPs do refer, and the communication is always useful. The osteopath will usually write to the GP (with the patient's permission) out of courtesy, letting their doctor know what is being done, and, when necessary, passing on any matters of medical concern that might need further investigation.

How does osteopathy work?
Osteopaths work with their hands using a wide variety of treatment techniques. These may include soft tissue techniques, rhythmic passive joint mobilisation or the high velocity thrust techniques (the clicks) designed to improve mobility and the range of movement of a joint. Gentle release techniques are widely used, particularly when treating children or elderly patients. This enables the immobile parts of the body to return to efficient normal function and reduces strain on joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. No electrical equipment is used at the Sandgate Clinic.

I have noticed many osteopaths have the letters DO and/or BSc (Ost) after their names. What does this mean?
These are osteopathic qualifications. The DO stands for diploma in osteopathy the BSc is a degree in osteopathy. The length of training is the same for both, at least four years full-time training. The diploma course has been around the longest but recently some courses have been validated by universities allowing them to offer their students degree passes. At the Sandgate Clinic all the osteopaths trained at the European School of Osteopathy in Maidstone, Kent, and completed the four year, full time course.

What is the status of osteopathy in the UK?
The 1993 report from the British Medical Association "Complementary Medicine - New Approaches to Good Practice" recognised osteopathy as a 'discrete clinical discipline'. Osteopathy is the first complementary health care profession to be accorded statutory regulation (Osteopaths Act 1993). Many GP's are beginning to refer patients to osteopaths, and some osteopaths now work within the NHS, as professionals in their own right. In Folkestone unfortunately as yet, Osteopathy is not available on the NHS.

What are the origins of osteopathy?

Andrew Taylor Still, born in 1828 in Virginia, USA, trained as a doctor according to the system of medical education available at the time. As time went on he followed a different path from many of his peers, eschewing alcohol and the habit of contemporary physicians of administering crude drugs at their disposal in heroic quantities. This drove him to seek new methods of treating sickness. The outcome of his research was the application of physical treatment as a specialised form of treatment for which he coined the name 'Osteopathy'.

In 1892 A T Still organised a school in Kirksville, Missouri, for the teaching of osteopathy and it was from these small beginnings that osteopathy was brought to the UK around the turn of the century. The first school of osteopathy in the UK was set in London in 1917 and over time other schools and colleges followed.

Today there are around 3,000 osteopaths in the UK performing over six million patient consultations a year.