Osteopath

Osteopaths work with their hands and use a range of techniques to treat conditions such as back pain, sciatica, migraine, sports injuries, repetitive strain injury and asthma.

Osteopathy is an established, recognized system of diagnosis and treatment. The underlying philosophy is that the body has a natural tendency to heal itself but this can be disrupted by imbalances in the musculoskeletal system.

An osteopath investigates a patient's symptoms, using many of the diagnostic procedures from conventional medicine. The patient is assessed on a mechanical, functional and postural basis. Manual methods of treatment appropriate to the individual patient are then applied.

Osteopaths aim to help to reduce the symptoms and improve the health and quality of life of the patient by: identifying imbalances within the musculoskeletal system, facilitating the body's ability to heal itself through stretching, massage, deep massage and gentle manipulation, offering added exercise and health advice.

Typical work activities include: taking detailed case histories from new patients, including general medical health, specific symptoms and other details, asking the patient to make a series of movements and assessing their general posture, checking for restrictions or tensions in joints or muscles, undertaking physical examinations of patients by using a touch system (palpation) to identify any weak or strained areas of the body.

Planning and providing treatment by working with the hands, using soft tissue techniques, gentle release techniques and other appropriate methods of treatment, working with an ultrasound machine and other treatment equipment, making lifestyle and dietary recommendations to patients, as required, maintaining accurate and up-to-date patient records, interpreting digital imagery generated by scanning techniques such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), ultrasound and X-rays.

Many osteopaths are self-employed. Additional tasks related to running a business include: administration, accounting, developing new areas of business, premises management, managing staff.