How do Osteopaths "treat the person, not the condition"?

What do Osteopaths mean when we say we "treat the person, not the condition" or "treat the whole body"? Well, Osteopaths have trained for years and understand the complex human anatomy and physiology and there is no getting away from the fact that it is all connected! The modern medical world has split the body up into separate organs, separate joints and different systems, but seem to forget that a problem in one area will always have a knock-on effect to somewhere else and symptoms in different areas can be linked. Specialists are definitely needed, particularly for complicated treatments and operations, but the reason I chose to become an Osteopath was to be able to listen to people and help all aspects of their health.

When someone first visits me, I spend a long time discussing their current symptoms, any symptoms that could be associated with the problem, their general health, medical history and then finally, but importantly, their lifestyle. It's essential to look at the whole picture to get an understanding of exactly what has caused the problem, because only by treating the root cause will you stop the symptoms and prevent them from reoccurring.

It doesn't end there, though! I don't merely want to remove the symptoms that someone has visited me with, I want to improve their overall health and vitality. I always ask people what their aims are with treatment and how they want to improve their health. Everyone's definition of health is different and we all enjoy different activities, so no two answers are the same. One person may tell me their dream is to be able to play in the park with their children without their body holding them back, whereas someone else may wish to sit at their craft table and create lovely things without their neck and shoulders tensing up and distracting them!

Another aspect of Osteopathy that can be confusing is when you visit someone with pain in one area of your body and they focus their treatment on a different place entirely. Without explaining this fully, it can feel like the Osteopath has totally misinterpreted the symptoms you've described and you don't feel like the treatment can make a difference. However, what is usually the case is that after listening to your symptoms and assessing the problem, the Osteopath has found that the cause of the symptoms is a different area. The perfect example of this is someone wearing old, ill-fitting shoes that make their ankles roll in slightly. This can put pressure on the knees and hips causing pain, then it can even transfer up into the low back causing discomfort there too. So I may treat this by giving advice on the best footwear, treating any problems in the legs and back and then giving strengthening exercises for the ankles and legs to prevent problems from reoccurring.

A common symptom I treat is pain, tingling and numbness in the arm. This requires some detective work because there are a number of possible causes! The tingling and numbness is usually a sign of nerve compression or irritation, but as the nerve starts in the spine, leaves from the neck and passes all the way down the arm via the shoulder, you can imagine there are plenty of places for this nerve to become compressed. Usually I can locate this place through the description of symptoms and a thorough assessment including neurological assessment. This means I can be confident in the diagnosis, rule out anything that may need a scan or referral to another medical professional, then start treating the problem accurately. It's at this point that I can usually ask some questions to identify what has caused the problem and then we can work out a plan to speed up the recovery and prevent it from reoccurring.

I use a variety of different methods for treatment that can include massage, gentle joint movements (mobilisations), joint manipulations, muscle stretches, Cranial Osteopathy, medical acupuncture and sports taping. This way I can tailor the treatment to exactly what you need.

It's important to mention that amongst all the questions about symptoms and lifestyle, I always ask about your emotional health too. It's obvious that if you're in pain and it's stopping you from carrying out daily tasks comfortably, it will make you feel down. However, your emotional health can make physical problems more likely to happen and also slow down the recovery, so I am always keen to advise on how to emotionally cope with physical problems. There are lots of excellent methods such as relaxation techniques, meditation, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or even just talking about things. It can be amazing how beneficial it is to have someone listen to you and empathise with you, even if there is no practical advice to be given.

I do believe that there needs to be a greater movement towards discussing health in a whole sense. With the current strains on our health service I can understand the need for separation in healthcare, but this usually means people see lots of different doctors and therapists for different problems that may be linked. This is one of the reasons I use this blog because if I can offer help and advice to get people thinking about their health in a whole sense, they will be able to approach their doctor with this in mind.

I hope this has given you an insight into how Osteopaths help people and also why I could never get bored with Osteopathy! No two people are the same, so no two treatments are the same. It was my passion for medicine and the human body and my keen interest in getting to know people and help them that brought me to Osteopathy. I feel very privileged that people trust me with their health and I hope this encourages you to explore the benefits of Osteopathy. If you have any questions at all, please get in contact with me.

Call me on 07543 557746
Email zoeclarkosteopath@gmail.com
'Like' my Facebook page "Zoë Clark Osteopathy"
Follow me on twitter @ZoeClarkOsteo
Follow on Instagram @zoetheosteo

Zoë Clark is a registered osteopath trained at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London. Practicing in Howe near Norwich (01508 558373) and Burston, near Diss (07543 557746) in Norfolk.