Osteopathy & Health "Osteopaths are accessible ..."

Preventive Back Care Evenings & Seminars in Cambridge *
Next Date - 6pm Thursday 30th September 2004 at John Lant & Partners, Cambridge UK
 
 - watch this space and make a note in your diary ...

Following the popularity of the Back Care Evening Health Promotion series since 1997, we  plan various seminars to follow a developing theme of 'Back Care Advice'.  Other evenings during the year will provide opportunities for exploring 'Health Care' issues and 'Health Promotion.'

Back Pain sufferers present as the largest illness group in people of working age. According to information from the Department of Health, Dept of Social Security and The Health and Safety Executive, statistical findings reveal that:

  • 14 million GP consultations per year

  • Cost to NHS £480 million

  • 116 million certified days of sickness absence in 1994/5

If you are interested in learning more about 'Self-help' and 'Back care' by attending our 'Back Class', please contact the practice where a Receptionist or Osteopath will be available to answer calls on 01223 367661 (3 lines) and reserve a place for you. Join us for an informative and informal evening.  Refreshments will be provided and a glass or two of wine.

A long wait for Surgery ?

" If you are in pain with your back, hip joints or knees, where pain and stiffness arises from degenerative conditions, the wait for surgery can be a long and frustrating time ..... "

Getting on with everyday normal life can be difficult and your work and home life and hobbies may be affected.

We may be able to help ….... by making you more mobile and comfortable during your wait. or more information and advice, telephone us or email direct.

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Osteopathy - the future

Osteopaths are qualified in clinical assessment, diagnosis and have skills in manual therapeutics:

  • Osteopaths are accessible

  • Osteopaths offer continuity of treatment

  • Osteopaths have a very low rate of non-completers of treatment

  • Osteopaths have a very low rate of negligence claims

  • Osteopaths have a high patient satisfaction rating

Osteopathy - Advice Sheets  

A range of advice sheets are available on request from the practice, covering many topics including 'exercises for fitness' and prevention and a number of diet schemes covering a range of conditions.

Treating Back Pain

1. Patient's History
Patients give a detailed history of their current problem, including time and mode of onset, extent, duration and severity of previous episodes and prior investigations and treatment. When related to patient age, this should categorise suspicions into congenital, developmental, traumatic, degenerative or pathological areas.

Thorough exploration of the factors which aggravate or relieve the condition reveals the extent of daily dysfunction and the patient's expectations of function. It also determines whether this dysfunction is of mechanical origin or whether pathological or psychosocial elements should be questioned.  Past medical history of illness, operations, investigations and treatment, as well as enquiry into current systemic health, is necessary.  The history invariably produces a diagnostic hypothesis to be confirmed or refuted by examination.

Because the majority of presenting problems are mechanical in origin, Osteopaths are diligent in identifying those which are not.

2. Examination
Observing the standing patient reveals information about physique as well as the antero-posterior and lateral plane postural balance. Skin folds and muscle hyper/hypo tonicity are identified. Pelvic balance is examined before undertaking and recording full active movements. Sitting examination is routine to establish alterations in pelvic balance and the effect of the lumbar spine failing into flexion. The recumbent patient may undergo assessment of leg lengths.

Passive palpatory examination is one of the hallmarks of osteopathy from which a full segmental analysis is constructed. Ranges of individual segments are recorded and intrinsic and extrinsic musculature assessed. Neurological or other systemic examinations are undertaken at this stage. If X-rays or MRI scans are required for structural information which may define functional expectation these will be arranged.

The osteopath will now have constructed a complete evaluation of the patient's spinal function and the factors which collectively caused the symptoms. Emphasis is placed on identifying postural, occupational or habitual factors which may be maintaining the problem. A treatment plan, including lifestyle, postural advice and exercise, is constructed for the patient as an individual. Standardisation of diagnostic groups and treatment regimes does not work well in the osteopathic setting where a multiplicity of factors identify patients as individuals.

3. Treatment
Osteopaths work with their hands using a wide variety of treatment techniques. These may include soft tissue stretching techniques, rhythmic passive movements to improve joint mobility or high velocity thrust techniques designed to improve the mobility and range of movement of a joint (the audible click).

Osteopaths monitor progress in relation to the negotiated expectations of practitioner and patient. If results fall short, a review of diagnosis and treatment is undertaken. Communication and discussion with the patient's GP may be necessary. Continual critical reflection of progress and fine tuning of management is paramount for best outcome. The amount of treatment which a patient will require is dependent entirely upon his or her individual characteristics. An average of between four and eight treatments appears to be the norm.

Statutory Regulation

Osteopathy focuses on reducing pain and maximising neuro-musculoskeletal function, as far as structural limitations for a given patient will allow. It is an established system of clinical diagnosis and manual treatment, recognised by the British Medical Association as a 'discrete clinical discipline'.

Central to the Osteopaths Act, passed in 1993, is the new General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), which will lay down standards and regulate the profession through a new statutory register which will open early in 1998.

Principal benefits of statutory self-regulation are:

  • All practitioners will hold a recognised qualification in Osteopathy (RQ)

  • All practitioners will hold professional indemnity insurance

  • Continuing professional development will be introduced

  • Compulsory pre-registration training will be introduced for graduates

  • Legal protection of title. Only practitioners registered with the GOsC may call themselves an 'Osteopath' and practise as such.

Osteopathy and Medicine Today

Current estimates suggest that 15% of the 2,500 practising osteopaths in the UK have a contractual relationship with the NHS for a proportion of their work (GCRO 1997).

The majority of these contracts are for osteopaths working with Primary Care Groups and Trusts, either seeing patients in their own practices or at GPs' surgeries.  NHS Commissioning of services replaced fund holding in April 1999 with the introduction of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

Benefits of Osteopathy to the NHS

Information is becoming available to suggest that Osteopathy can reduce the amount and cost of painkiller drugs prescribed. The osteopath's clinical assessment, diagnostic and manual treatment skills mean appropriate use of diagnostic imaging and consultant referral.  Early osteopathic intervention achieves early relief of symptoms so that patients return to work more quickly.

A reduction in repeat visits to the GP practice by patients frees GP appointment time.  Patients value early intervention from an osteopath.· [Source: Osteopathic Information Services]  [Further information]

Background Briefing

Osteopathy and Physical Medicine Recent Reference Material
[The list which follows is not comprehensive hut rather a selection of some of the more interesting papers produced in recent years.]

  • General References

Baum, M Prof (1992): Concepts of holism in orthodox and alternative medicine. British Osteopathic Journal Vol vii: 12-66.
Blane, D (1991):The Black Report on socio-economic inequalities in health 10 years on. (Smith, Bartley & Blane), Vol vii: 35-40.
Di Fabio, R (1992): Efficacy of manual therapy. Physical Therapy, 71(12): 834-864.
General (1993): Which? Way to Health: osteopathy: 173-175
MacDonald, RS Dr (1988): Osteopathic diagnosis of back pain. Manual Medicine, 3 :110-113.
Szmelskyj, AO (1990): The difference between holistic osteopathic practice and manipulation. Holistic Medicine, 5(2): 67-69.
Thomas, KJ (1991): Use of non-orthodox and conventional care in Britain. British Medical Journal 302(6770): 207:210.

  • Specific References

Aswani, K Dr (1994):Fund GP study reveals benefits of osteopathy. Fundholding, 7 June: 10-18.
Burns & Lyttleton (1994): Osteopathy in general practice. British Journal of General Practice Feb: 93 and June: 284.
Burns & Lyttleton (1994): Osteopathy on the NHS: one practice's experience. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2:200-203.
Brodin, H (1987): Inhibition-facilitation technique for lumbar pain treatment. Manual Medicine, 3(1):24-26.
Carruthers, R (1993): Weekly frequency of osteopathic patient visits. Journal of the New Zealand Register of Osteopaths, 22-23.
Cleary, C & Fox, J (1994): Menopausal symptoms: osteopathic investigation. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2:181-186.
Frank, A (1993): Low back pain. British Medical Journal, 306:901-908.
Kinalski, R (1984): The comparison of the results of manual therapy versus physiotherapy methods used in the treatment of patients with low back pain syndromes. Manual Medicine, 4:44-46.
MacDonald, RS Dr (1990): An open controlled assessment of osteopathic manipulation in non specific low back pain. Spine 15(5):364-370.
Peters, Davies & Pietroni (1994): Musculoskeletal clinic in general practice: study of one year's referrals. British Journal of General Practice, 25-28.
Paul, FA (1990): Effects of osteopathic manipulation treatment on the heart rate and blood pressure in female athletes. Journal of the Australian Osteopathic Association 90(8): 724-725.
Pringle, M & Tyreman, S (1993): Study of 500 patients attending an osteopathic practice. British Journal of General Practice 43:15-18.
Stodolny, J (1989): Manual therapy in the treatment of patients with cervical migraine. Manual Medicine 4(2):49-51.
Turk, Z (1987): Mobilisation of the cervical spine in chronic headaches. Manual Medicine 3(1):15-17.
See  References [Source: OIS 1998]