Women's Health Osteopathy in Farringdon, London
Consultation with a Women's Health Osteopath
A women's health osteopathy appointment is appropriate for those specifically dealing with a range of women's health issues such as:
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pelvic pain
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gynaecological conditions - endometriosis, pelvic pain, vulvodynia, dysmennorhoea/ painful periods
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pelvic floor dysfunction - weakness, overactivity, scar tissue
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postnatal complaints such as abdominal separation, bladder, bowel or sexual dysfunction
Osteopathy is a hands-on approach to healthcare that involves the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions. Osteopaths look at the body holistically i.e. assessment and treatment is not isolated to the area that is painful, but looks at how movement and function of the rest of the body has influenced the development of pain and maintained it, thus restoring balance to the body's musculoskeletal system.
Your women's health osteopathy appointment will be with our osteopath who is highly specialised and has undergone a 2 year post graduate diploma in women's health osteopathy, working alongside gynaecologists, obstetricians, midwives, ultra sonographers and other specialists.​ ​
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What can the consultation involve?
Your first women's health consultation at Balanced Osteopathy will typically last longer than your follow-up appointments, so that there is enough time for you to fully describe the problem and its history, to cover relevant medical history and for an accurate diagnosis to be made.
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Your consultation will then usually involve the following components:
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Current problem - You will have the opportunity to fully describe your presenting complaint and questions will be asked to help understand more about the issue and guide diagnosis.
Medical history - To get an accurate picture of your overall health and guide diagnosis, questions will be asked about your past medical history including gynaecological and obstetric history, surgeries and any medication that you are on.
Clinical examination - Depending on the problem, examination may involve checks on things like blood pressure, reflexes etc.
Osteopathic examination - This includes looking at your standing posture and how things are moving when you as a patient move them, known as active assessment and passive assessment which is your osteopath identifying any joint movement restrictions, orthopaedic testing and feeling for areas of tension or discomfort which during a women's health appointment will likely involve palpation of the abdomen. After examination, a diagnosis is determined and if necessary, you may be referred on to your GP or other specialist with your consent.
Pelvic floor assessment - if the pelvic floor requires assessment or examination, this can be done to some degree externally. An internal assessment will only ever be carried out after a discussion with your osteopath and signing a separate consent form in advance of an appointment.
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Treatment - Treatment is different for every patient but may include a variety of techniques such as soft tissue work, visceral work, stretches, joint mobilisations and sometimes manipulations. Depending on the problem, you may be given rehabilitative exercises or advice on how to manage your pain/condition.
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What to wear to your osteopathy appointment
For examination and treatment, you will likely be asked to undress down to clothing such as shorts or leggings that allow for proper assessment and treatment. Please make sure you have something suitable with you that you feel comfortable in. Towels are also provided at the appointment.​.​​
Regulation of Osteopathy
Regulation of Osteopathy​: All osteopaths in the UK are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and are required to renew their registration each year. As part of the annual renewal process, the GOsC checks that osteopaths have current professional indemnity insurance, remain in good health and of good character, and have met mandatory continuing professional development requirements.​The title 'osteopath' is protected by law. It is against the law for anyone to call themselves an osteopath unless they are registered with the GOsC