Are there any side effects of receiving an osteopathic treatment?
There should be no adverse reactions since an osteopath uses no medication. However, after the treatment, you might feel soreness on where the practitioner worked. One reason could be that, often, the treated areas have not been actively or passively moved for a long time. In that case, it might be a good idea to ice the sore area for 10 minutes and continue to do it for a couple of times if necessary. For icing, put ice cubes in a small plastic bag and wrap it in a hand towel before use. You might want to purchase voltaren gel in a pharmacy. It can be effective to the area of soreness. Please read the precautions carefully before you use it.
Is the treatment painful?
Not in general. You might experience some mild discomfort or a small amount of a “bruised” feeling after the treatment. If you feel worried or concerned about how the body reacts to your treatment, then you should call the practice for further assistance. In a rare occasion, you might experience an adverse reaction. In case the osteopath considers it appropriate, he will offer an emergency appointment. If the osteopath is not immediately available, please leave a message on the answer phone. Someone at the practice will call you back as soon as possible.
How many treatments do I need?
The numbers of treatments vary from patient to patient. Conditions can also differ depending on whether the health problem is acute or chronic, or on the type of the health problem. It depends on how the patient uses the body at work and in his/her hobby and weekend activities. For instance, a simple back pain can occur due to various causes. Postures of patients vary and are linked to how they manifest in a dysfunction of the body. Therefore, it is difficult to tell the number of treatments here because every patient has an individual lifestyle and hobbies, which play important rolls.
The practitioner gladly answers to your questions when you ask during the treatment, especially at the second half of the first consultation or during the hands-on treatment. Some patients want to ask questions when the consultation hour is over. Please understand that the practitioner might not be able to answer clearly enough when the next patient is waiting for treatment.
How often should I receive treatment?
The usual period of re-examinations ranges from one to three weeks. However, this depends on the health condition and the type of the health problem. For follow up consultations, the practitioner communicates with you to decide the time of next appointment.
If you have an acute symptom or just had an injury (back pain, herniated disc, acute arthritis, acute neck pain, sprain of ankle/foot, for example), the osteopath often consults you once a week. In severe conditions, a patient might be treated twice a week. The osteopath decides the frequency of treatment with the patient.
At UG Osteopath, communication and understanding are as important as the osteopathic hands-on treatment. He is happy to assist you finding the way to happiness regarding health condition.
When the health condition has improved, the practitioner does not ask you for further treatments more than necessary.
However, if the cause of the problem has not improved and the symptoms are likely to recur, the practitioner might suggest you to do more visits or will refer to other professions.
For patients who live far away from the practice, we can arrange a suitable treatment plan, for example, organising treatment twice a week instead of once a week.
Can I come to the practice once a month for regular treatment?
Yes. Osteopathy is also known for its effectiveness as a preventive and conservative treatment for degenerative disturbances. At the practice, many cases of musculoskeletal disorders turn out to involve degenerative changes. It is quite common to see osteoarthritis of the spine, the hip, feet and hands in older patients. The reason is that degenerative changes tend to increase gradually with aging.
A number of patients with such conditions come to a regular treatment once a month. They want to maintain better mobility and life quality. It is common for osteopaths who have been practicing treatment for many years to have several such patients on their list. They seem to receive real benefit from the regular treatments. As a result of this, they manage to take less medication and live a more independent life.
What should I wear during a treatment?
In osteopathic practices in Europe, you will be screened in underwear. That is common practice and a majority of patients understand it. If you feel uncomfortable being treated in underwear for some reason, please bring your own shorts or a tank top, for example. During the treatment, the osteopath directly needs to feel how the joints and soft tissues move under the skin. For that reason, wearing a bodysuit or a tight girdle is not recommended. At the practice, we do not offer spare shorts or shirts. However, blankets are available during cold seasons.
What are advantages of clinical examinations in underwear?
Less clothing allows for more precise reference points for making a diagnosis to show. These points are easier to check with the hands directly placed on the body structure.
For example, the practitioner checks the heat and sweat of the skin, range of motion in the joints, soft tissues, and the organs, for example. In order to make a good diagnosis, the osteopath needs to perform a good evaluation through direct palpation (hands-on) while also observing the body through the eyes. During the treatment, he works on the blockage and tension of the body structure in multiple directions.
I am being treated by an orthopedic doctor. Can I receive osteopathic treatment in parallel?
No problem. In general, osteopathic treatment can be combined with other treatment methods of both western and oriental medicine. It does not harm you. However, your doctor and the osteopath should know that you want to combine the treatments. It is because some of manual techniques may not be suitable to certain health conditions of the patient. In case if you are treated by another doctor, the osteopath would also like to know his diagnosis, so that the osteopath can effectively reflect your health condition to his treatment.
I’m taking medication, is there any problem combining with an osteopathic treatment?
The osteopath needs to know what medication is prescribed to you by your doctor. For example, if you have experienced a myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism, you might have been prescribed anticoagulants (blood thinner) by your doctor. The medication increases the time it takes for blood clots to form. In that case, intense massages should be avoided because it can cause excessive bleeding (haemorrhage) as a side effect.
Therefore, the osteopath needs to apply other techniques, which do not cause this problem.
Are there any contraindications for osteopathic treatment?
Yes, there are. These can be divided into absolute and relative contraindications.
1) Absolute contraindications
For example, acute heart and cerebrovascular disorders, severe arteriosclerosis, extremely high blood pressure, diseases that can be transmitted to other peoples, dislocations / fractures, severe pains without moving. There are some other disorders apart from these written above. Please consult your attending physician for further help, as these disorders cannot be treated by osteopathy.
2) Relative contraindications
The list includes malignant tumors, severe osteoporosis and others. Please consult your attending physician in advance if you wish to receive an osteopathic treatment.
Is palliative treatment for cancer patients effective?
Osteopathic treatment improves the circulation of blood and lymph systems in the body, activating both good cells and cancer cells.
From that perspective, osteopathic treatment may not be suitable. However, some cancer patients suffer from strong pain and might need some relief from it. Osteopathic treatment can be helpful in that case. For the palliative treatment, the osteopath needs a written and signed consent from both the patient and the attending physician. For many years, UG Osteopath has treated a number of cancer patients for that reason, who have responded well after the treatments.
Does health insurance cover osteopathic treatment?
Please contact your health insurance company before the treatment.
It depends on what type of health insurance you are covered by. If you live in Germany, your health insurance might cover it.
There are several German private health insurances that cover the cost of the treatment. For patients with a regular (non-private) health insurance, some of the insurances cover a part of the treatment cost. Here is a list of companies that might help you. https://www.osteopathie-krankenkasse.de/kostenuebernahme/
UG Osteopath is a “Heilpraktiker” and is allowed to write invoices for ostoepathic-treatment costs within the framework of the Heilpraktiker Fee Ordinance (GebüH). No referral or prescription from a doctor is required. For privately or additionally insured persons, the treatment costs are reimbursed by the health insurance company.
We accept the payment of the full cost as well.
Is there anything I should bring to the treatment?
If you have a letter of diagnosis from a medical doctor, or images generated by computer tomography and/or magnetic resonance, please bring them with you. The osteopath would like to read and see them, especially for a herniated disc or a stenosis of the spine. These letters and photos from the doctor helps the osteopath to understand the health condition better and more clearly.