Can an Osteopath help you?

A few months ago I wrote about how important it is to understand the source of your pain to ensure you receive the correct treatment and recover faster. I also briefly touched on when you should seek help from a professional and would like to expand on that here by answering some important questions:

Do you know the source of your pain?

It is vital that you understand where your pain originates as without targeting the source, you will not resolve it. More importantly, some pain is organ related and can refer to other parts of the body, for example making you feel that you have a shoulder issue when in fact it’s originating from your gall bladder, hence the importance of starting with a correct diagnosis!

Osteopaths are trained to find the source of pain and for signs of underlying serious conditions in which case you would be advised to consult your GP for further investigations.

How long have you been in pain?

If you know the cause of your pain and it subsides within a timescale you expect, then you most likely do not need to seek advice. However, if the pain is severe or not subsiding within a few days to a few weeks, it is advisable to see a professional, such as an Osteopath.

Has your mobility changed?

For some people issues can start with a feeling of stiffness, particularly in the morning. This can be a precursor to pain later on. It may be difficult for you to locate where the stiffness is coming from but seeking help at this stage can stop it building into a more debilitating problem.

Has your life been impacted by the pain?

Often people make the mistake of believing that pain cannot be resolved and they should just ‘live with it’. This is not the case.

Be honest and ask yourself whether the pain is changing your life. Are you exercising less, avoiding doing activities due to the pain? If yes, seeking help would be advisable.

Are you not managing to get on top of the pain with self-help?

All my patients are given self-help ideas on how to manage their pain and what to do if a flare-up occurs, eg. regular exercise, prescriptive exercises, using rollers/balls to self-massage etc.

If you are finding that any self-help you are trying is not resolving your pain, you are most likely beyond self-help and needing further advice. Remember, it is better to get on top of pain early when it is acute (short-term) and avoid it becoming chronic (longer term). Read here for how to avoid chronic pain.

Are you unhappy taking painkillers?

I often treat patients who do not like taking painkillers, particularly in the long-term. If your pain is acute and your mobility has been impacted, taking painkillers in the short-term can help you to move more easily which should promote your recovery.

If you prefer to take a more natural approach and seek advice on what else you can do to ease the pain and recover, osteopathy can help.

So if any of the above sounds familiar, our team of Osteopaths would be happy to hear from you and help you on your road to recovery!