Common myths about Osteopathy

Osteopathy has been around since the late 1800s, yet there are still many myths surrounding it. I’m hoping to correct some of the common misconceptions today…

Myth: Osteopaths just treat backs.

Truth: Osteopaths can treat bone, muscle and joint problems throughout the body. We’re most known for treating backs, so one of the most common problems I treat is low back pain. We’re very good at that, but it's not the only thing we do!

Myth: Osteopaths ‘click’ bones back into place.

Truth: Bones will only dislocate or subluxate (partially dislocate) with a big trauma, in which case people should be seen at a hospital for immediate treatment. I think this myth came about because Osteopaths are trained to manipulate (‘click’) joints. These gentle techniques are aimed to improve the movement in the joint, not to put a bone back into place.

Myth: Osteopathy is alternative medicine.

Truth: Osteopathy is a complementary medicine, which means we work alongside other healthcare practitioners and usually Osteopathy is safe alongside conventional medicine. Osteopaths take a thorough medical history in order to assess when it’s appropriate for us to treat and we will always refer you on to another person, such as your GP, if it’s needed.

Myth: Osteopaths make patients rely on treatment.

Truth: The hands-on treatment during an Osteopathy appointment is an important part of the healing process, but the self-care advice we give patients to continue their improvement at home and to prevent the problem reoccurring is equally as important. I became an Osteopath to help people improve their health and live a more fulfilling life, so the quicker I can get people on the right track, the better! It would be entirely unethical to make people reliant on treatment.

There are some cases, such as people with chronic health conditions, where treatment is ongoing. I also see people repeatedly with different injuries, but I feel really privileged to be trusted as the person people go to when they’re in pain and needing help (usually it’s someone with mountain biking or another extreme sport as their hobby!)

Myth: Osteopaths aren’t well trained.

Truth: Osteopaths train for a minimum of four years for a Masters degree in Osteopathy. The training covers anatomy, physiology, Osteopathic techniques, pharmacology and more. This ensures that Osteopaths have the knowledge to diagnose problems effectively and treat a bone/muscle/joint problem safely, even if a patient has another condition already diagnosed. It also means that they can recognise if there is another problem going on that needs medical attention and they can refer on to the correct person. Osteopaths are fully regulated and complete continued development each year to keep their knowledge and techniques up to date.

Myth: You need to be referred to an Osteopath by your Doctor.

Truth: Doctors do refer to Osteopaths, but it’s not essential. You can visit an Osteopath without a GP referral. If your problem is something that needs to be addressed by your GP, your Osteopath will refer you to them and write a letter if necessary.

Myth: Osteopathic treatment hurts.

Truth: Treatment shouldn’t hurt! Sometimes it can be tender working on a painful area, but your Osteopath will always be led by how you feel. Sometimes it can be sore 24 hours after treatment depending on techniques used, but your Osteopath should discuss this with you prior to starting treatment, get your consent to treatment and give you advice for easing any soreness should it occur.

Myth: Osteopaths are against medication and surgery.

Truth: Although Osteopathy uses natural techniques to alleviate problems, unfortunately it cannot fix or cure everything. Some conditions will always require medication, painkillers are needed in many circumstances and surgery is sometimes unavoidable. This is why it’s important that Osteopaths work with other healthcare professionals and refer on if medication, surgery or another intervention is necessary.

Myth: Osteopaths aren’t trained to prescribe exercises.

Truth: Osteopaths are fully trained to prescribe exercises to help patients rehabilitate a problem, manage a chronic condition better or to prevent an injury reoccurring. I use a programme to create personalised exercise plans, including links to online videos demonstrating the exercises. I can then review these to create more advanced plans if necessary.

Myth: Osteopaths just treat the bit that hurts.

Truth: Nope! During the medical history and examination, Osteopaths will assess the bit that hurts, but we will also look at other potential causes of the pain. We are trained to view the body as a whole and we know that problems in one area can cause problems or symptoms in another. Once a problem has manifested, it can also then lead to other issues elsewhere. We aim to find the root cause of a problem, fix that and any associated symptoms, in order to fix the problem long-term and prevent reoccurrence.

Myth: Osteopaths think they can treat everything.

Truth: I am very passionate about the benefits of Osteopathy, but unfortunately it can’t fix everything! When someone presents with something that I cannot help, I refer to the right person for appropriate assessment or treatment. I have a duty of care to my patients that I take very seriously, so sometimes not treating them and referring them onto someone else is the correct thing to do.

Myth: Osteopaths don’t work with other health professionals.

Truth: As discussed earlier, Osteopaths are not against medication, surgery or other treatment options. We work with other health professionals to provide the best care. My aim is always to work in my patient’s interest and help them improve their health, so I’m keen to work with my patients and other therapists or medical practitioners to achieve this.

Myth: There’s no evidence Osteopathy works.

Truth: There is increasing evidence that Osteopathy and osteopathic techniques help a variety of bone, muscle and joint problems. A lot of the techniques we use are used by other manual therapists as well (such as physiotherapists and chiropractors), so research in this area is increasing to help understand which techniques work best for different things. There are a number of groups, including the National Council for Osteopathic Research (NCOR), working to build the evidence base and further knowledge about osteopathic treatment.

I hope this has helped dispel some of the myths you may have come across regarding Osteopathy. I am really passionate about Osteopathy and being able to help people improve their health, reduce their pain and continue activities they enjoy. However, I am also aware that Osteopathy cannot fix everything (unfortunately!) and therefore it’s becoming increasingly important for Osteopaths to work with patients and their other healthcare providers in the patient’s best interest.

I’m privileged to have time with my patients to get to know them and all aspects of their health so that I can help them make changes to improve their health long-term. It’s always a discussion with each person, learning what is important for them and what they want to achieve in life, to be able to empower them to do so.

If you have any questions about Osteopathy, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me. Thanks for reading!

Feel free to share with the hash tag #OsteopathyWorks ;)

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), Norfolk.

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www.zoeclarkosteopathy.co.uk