Osteopathy is the diagnosis and treatment of any structural or functional disorder of the human body.

In the USA only doctors can practise osteopathy, whereas in the UK osteopathy is a specialised and separate healthcare field. In the US your GP, if an osteopathic physician, can offer complete healthcare including medicine, surgery and some osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). UK tained Osteopaths are trained in-depth to specialise in OMM from start to finish with the ability to refer to other specialised medical practitioners, usually via your GP, when appropriate.

Most people (and sadly that still includes many UK doctors) do not understand fully what Osteopaths do, yet many people, medical or otherwise, still feel qualified enough to give an often inaccurate opinion. Osteopaths are specialists that diagnose and treat structural and functional problems anywhere within the human body, and not just the spine as some erroneously believe.

Osteopaths use non-invasive techniques before your condition becomes irreparable and finally requires surgical intervention, the most common being acute injuries and arthritic change. Arthritis (often called "degenerative wear and tear") does not develop overnight and does not stop as soon you have been diagnosed. It is due to age and repetitive use so if you plan on living longer, it will get worse without preventative treatment. You have a choice as to whether to deal with it now or let nature take its course.

Osteopaths and doctors are both governmentally regulated primary healthcare professionals within their own specialist fields, so your doctor is best trained to perform surgery or cure your virus and your Osteopath is best trained to restore or prevent deterioration in the structure and function of your body.

You have a choice to see an Osteopath whenever you wish, and your doctor has a choice to refer you to an Osteopath as we are recognised for referral by the General Medical Council and British Medical Association, even though some GPs may mistakenly claim otherwise.

Osteopaths have professional skills and training that are hard to match and that is why in the UK we perform nearly 7 million consultations between us each and every year - that's 25,000 consultations every working day. Osteopaths do not simply try to give pain relief, but aim to find the cause of the pain so that our patients do not have to mask it and wait for it to get even worse over time. The prime example is arthritis (or "degenerative wear and tear") which can be made less debilitating with an early diagnosis and treatment rather than being told "to live with it".

So what are the differences in training then?

In the UK there are 100,000 doctors whose 5 year study is funded by the government and NHS whereas the 4,000 Osteopaths have to pay for all of their 4 year study by themselves.

Both professions study human anatomy, physiology, neurology and pathology, but then the differences start to emerge and make us each very good at what we do best: doctors study biochemistry, pharmacology and surgery, Osteopaths study neuro-musculo-skeletal science and osteopathic manipulative medicine.

So who should I see then?

If your condition is not life-threatening, then you have options:

(And if you want or need a combination of all three, then of course you should be able to have all three.)

So where does osteopathy fit in then?

Somewhere between medicine and surgery, but probably closer to a surgeon's philosophy as Osteopaths are concerned with restoring the normal structure and function of the human body through "physical" means. To some extent, surgery is just the most extreme form of Osteopathy, as Osteopaths treat from the outside and surgeons from the inside.

Osteopaths, like doctors, are very good at some things and less good at others. None of us can fix everything and we can only work with the body that you give us, so the sooner any of us can see you, the more optimistic we can be. The real trick is knowing when to refer elsewhere, Osteopath and doctor alike.

And what's the biggest frustration as an Osteopath?

How do Osteopaths work?

Osteopaths are trained in many of the diagnostic procedures involved in conventional medical assessment and diagnosis (e.g. x-rays, scans), but osteopathy's main strength lies in the unique way that our patients are assessed holistically from a functional and postural standpoint. If after a thorough case history and physical examination osteopathic treatment is indicated as being both safe and appropriate, osteopathic techniques are then used to promote positive changes to your damaged or affected tissues. Treatment is aimed at improving tissue function and reducing inflammation by using gentle osteopathic techniques such as soft-tissue massage, manipulation and stretching in order to restore the normal anatomy and physiology of muscles, ligaments, joints, nerves and organs.

Can my GP or hospital doctor refer me?

100%, yes. Legally they can refer to Osteopaths without any worries at all.

If he/she wishes, your doctor is allowed to safely recommend an Osteopath to you:
• Registered Osteopaths are recognised by the General Medical Council.
• The British Medical Association in 2006 stated that “... GPs can safely refer patients to practitioners in osteopathy...”
• Osteopaths are regulated by law just like doctors.
• 25,000 patients consult Osteopaths in the UK every day. A GP referral is not necessary, but it is helpful to your care.

How did Osteopathy begin?

Following the death of three of his children from spinal meningitis in 1864, US physician Dr. AT Still realised that the orthodox medical practices of his day were in many cases insufficient and in others harmful. Deciding that there needed to be more research, he devoted his next ten years of medicine to studying further the human body in an attempt to find other ways to treat illness and disease. His medical research and clinical observations led him to believe that the musculoskeletal system played a vital role in health and disease and that, in principle, the body contained most of the elements needed to fix itself and stay healthy if properly stimulated and cared for. Dr Still discovered that by correcting problems within the body's structure through the use of careful manipulative techniques, (now known as osteopathic manipulative medicine), this natural ability of the body to heal itself could be greatly improved with fewer side-effects. With this research, in 1892 he opened the first osteopathic medical school in the USA and by 1917 the British School of Osteopathy had opened in London.

"Find it, fix it, leave it alone"

Osteopathy pre-dates both chiropractic and physiotherapy having been founded by Dr. AT Still in the 1860s. Dr. Still, a practising physician in the US, had his osteopathic philosophy summed up as "find it, fix it, then leave it alone".

So if you find that you need fewer treatments with us than you expected, or we refer you promptly elsewhere, we think Dr. Still should take some of the credit.

Professional & Friendly Healthcare

At Christchurch Osteopathic Clinic we take pride in aiming to offer you the very best in "professional and friendly healthcare".

If you are currently receiving (or have previously received) care elsewhere, we will take this in to consideration for you. We are always happy to work with your GP, surgeon, physiotherapist, chiropractor or other therapists.

Want to know more?

Education and Training

Osteopathic training is demanding and lengthy, and a recognised qualification is only available from osteopathic educational institutions accredited by the General Osteopathic Council under the Osteopaths Act, 1993.

Trainee Osteopaths study anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics and clinical methods during a minimum four year osteopathic degree programme. Such wide-ranging medical training gives osteopaths the skills to diagnose conditions when osteopathic treatment is not advisable, and the patient must be referred to a GP for further investigation.

All Osteopaths are committed to a programme of Continuing Professional Development.

What is Osteopathy?

What do Osteopaths treat?

Osteopaths treat a wide range of patients and conditions:

Most back pains result from mechanical disturbances of the spine – postural strains, joint derangements and spinal disc injuries. Osteopathy, with its comprehensive approach to healthcare, is a particularly successful approach to treatment.

Many women are working mothers and combining both aspects of their lives can give rise to problems from the perennial headache to debilitating musculo-skeletal disorders. Many headaches originate from stiffness and tension in the neck and osteopathic treatment can often bring relief. Pregnancy can put a strain on the whole spine and osteopathic treatment can help the body adapt to the many changes it experiences.

Many patients are losing fitness at this stage in their lives and are more prone to injury. Osteopaths consider the whole person, examining posture and the strength and flexibility of muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Treatment is designed to alleviate current problems and to help prevent recurrences.

Pain-killers are not the only solution for the aches and pains associated with ageing. For more permanent relief it is necessary to eliminate the underlying causes of pain, a job for which the osteopath is specifically trained. Osteopathy can also help to reduce pain and stiffness in the less acute stages of arthritis.

Work, whether at a computer terminal or in heavy industry, can give rise to disorders of muscles, tendons and joints, particularly in the back, hands and arms. Osteopaths treat many conditions related to the workplace and can give remedial advice and preventative exercise.