What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a holistic way of looking at, working with & adjusting your body so that it serves you more effectively. The result of adjustment is that it works better, feels better & allows you to get back to those things you love doing. This is the job of the Osteopath at Baks Osteopathy in Maidstone – your local Osteopath.
Here at Baks, we use a blend of Classical Osteopathy, Cranial Osteopathy & Visceral approaches to treatment. This provides you with enough choices of how you would like to be treated. Additionally it also provides us with all the tools we need to get you feeling & functioning your best.
Osteopathy not only targets symptoms, but treats the parts of the body that have caused the symptoms. Osteopaths work holistically & believe that the body will work well if it is in good structural balance. Imagine, for example, a car that has one of its front wheels not quite pointing straight. It may run well for a while, but after only a few thousand miles, the tyre will wear out.
You can apply this to the human body, as it shows the importance of keeping yourself in good balance, to avoid excess wear & tear. This is one reason treatment from youth to old age is important. It usually helps limit degeneration in the spine & areas such as knees, hips & ankles, in the average person.
How Qualified is an Osteopath?
Osteopaths are required to complete a degree course in Osteopathy which encompasses many interrelated subjects. These subjects primarily include in-depth anatomy & physiology; pathology; orthopaedics & many varied technique classes, dependant upon university attended.
Most reputable degrees will also teach Osteopathic interns basics of radiology; pharmaceuticals; sociology; embryology; anthropology; gynaecology; obstetrics & paediatrics. This provides an Osteopath with a wide base of knowledge with which to start their career.
All Osteopaths registered in the U.K. must first attend a minimum of 1,000 hours supervised clinical training. After this, they have to sit internal university exams, as well as external ‘GOsC’ exams.
The ‘GOsC’ is the General Osteopathic Council & is the regulating body for Osteopathy in the U.K. It is against the law to call yourself an Osteopath if you are not registered with them.
Phil, the Osteopath at Baks has been registered with the GOsC since 2006.
What to expect from your Osteopathy consultation with Phil
When you come to see Phil, our Osteopath, he will ask you many, many questions. Quite a few of them may initially seem insignificant to the untrained individual. Rest assured, Phil does this so he can diagnose the source of your pain & propose the most successful form of treatment. After the questions (we call that a case history) comes the examination.
Many people are concerned about the examination as they think they need to undress to underwear. It’s true to say that our job relies on seeing your body work, or not as the case may be. Phil is aware that not everyone likes to undress to underwear & will be happy to work around your preferences. If you can make sure that you wear (or bring) shorts & a vest with you, then that will suffice. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with being moved around & treated by Phil, not to undress.
After assessment you will get an explanation of Phil’s provisional diagnosis. This will include a likely cause of your pain & the best remedy that he can offer for it. If Osteopathy is not appropriate for you, then he will tell you & refer you as appropriate.
Provided Osteopathy is suitable, Phil will discuss & provide the treatment he thinks is appropriate for you. Please make sure you discuss any concerns with Phil as he wants to get you on the road to recovery as soon as possible & really values your feedback.
You can read more about what to expect from your consultation in this blog post.
Book in to see Phil the Osteopath
If you would like to book in to see Phil, then you can book in directly via our online booking system.
Osteopathy – some common questions
Q: Can Osteopathy provide back pain relief, neck pain treatment & help with shoulder discomfort, or shoulder impingement?
A: Here at Baks our Osteopath (Phil) specialises in back, neck & shoulder pain relief. He has helped many people recover from debilitating problems & regain their normal function & way of life.
Q: What about Sciatica pain treatment, muscle spasm & ‘trapped’ or ‘pinched’ nerves in the neck or shoulder? Can Osteopathy help those too?
A: Sciatica, ‘trapped’ nerves, arthritic pains & muscle spasms are usually a part of the back, neck & shoulder related pains that Phil regularly sees in clinic.
He also sees a range of other problems such as tendinitis; hip, leg, knee, ankle & foot pains; shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist & hand pains, along with migraine, tension headaches, irritable bowel & pregnancy related pains.
Whatever pain related problem you have, discuss it for free with Phil & check to see if he can help you.
He’s calm, cheerful & here to help you on the road to recovery.
Booking in to see Phil is easy. Do it all online for maximum convenience & select the date & time you need.
Osteopathy in pictures
Google Reviews
Check out some of our genuine Google reviews. These were left by our highly satisfied patients and may help you to trust us.
To read more Google reviews or to leave your own, then click the link. We’d love to hear about what you think of our services.
Book In
If you’d like to go ahead & book in to see Phil, then click the link below which will take you through to our bookings page. There, you can select between online bookings (best option), calling by phone or writing an email.
Osteopathy – Benefits vs Risks
If you would like to understand a bit about the benefits & risks of having Osteopathic treatment, then please take a look at our webpages which tell you all about it.
