Frequently asked questions

Does Osteopathy work?

Osteopathy has been around for a long time, it was developed in the 1870’s by a Doctor, Andrew Taylor Still, and is now widely recognised throughout the world as one of the most scientifically validated and effective natural therapies.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises the Osteopathic model of musculoskeletal dysfunction as being scientifically proven, and the British Medical Association also recognises Osteopathy as a discrete medical discipline.

There has been much research which not only provides a physiological basis for Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment, but also provides statistical data on outcomes. Reports have shown not only a consistent level of success, but also a high degree of patient satisfaction, so you know you'll be in good hands. 

Is osteopathic treatment safe?

There’s no such thing as medical treatment that is guaranteed 100% safe; even the paracetamol and ibuprofen we commonly use for headaches may cause severe side effects in some people.

Osteopathy however, has one of the best safety records of any medically-related profession. As primary care practitioners, Osteopaths are trained to carry out standard medical examinations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems to identify any condition that might make Osteopathic treatment inadvisable and to recognise conditions which require medical referral.

Just as your GP regards safety as the number one factor in selecting your medications, our Osteopaths will select treatment styles & techniques with your safety as their prime consideration.

Do I need a referral?

As primary care practitioners our osteopaths do not require a referal to see you but referals are always welcomed and we are more than happy to work together with your existing healthcare team to ensure you get the best results.

The only time you need a referral is if you wish to see an osteopath under Medicare's Enhanced primary care program, in this case you'll need to see your doctor first. 

Otherwise you can simply call to book to see our osteopaths directly.

Who pays?  Am I covered?

Under the federal governments Medicare Plus initiative, patients with chronic conditions may be referred by their GP for osteopathic treatment under an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plan.

Patients under the WorkCover and Transport Accident compensation schemes can have their treatment costs covered by those schemes.

We offer instant, on-the-spot rebates through HICAPS for members of a Private Health Fund with ancillary or "extras" cover.Rebate amount and conditions however vary between insurers, so check the details of your policy.

Is long term preventative care useful?

Why fix a problem when you can prevent it? When it comes to long term health care our Osteopaths don't believe in getting patients to return every few days, every week or even, every few weeks for treatment as the best form of long term preventive care.

The key to preventing many health problems from developing and recurring lies in educating our patients; arming you with an understanding of the causes of your pain & dysfunction and giving you advice on how to reduce or elimate them.

We aim to get you through the acute phase of an injury and then help you to take your health back into your own hands.   

Why see an osteopath over a chiropractor or physiotherapist?

It’s not up to us to define how other practitioners treat or how 'good' they are. The truth is we all treat many of  the same problems like back pain, headaches & migraines, we just treat them in slightly different ways.

What we can tell you is why you should see us at Lonsdale Osteopathy and it's simple really...

·  At Lonsdale Osteopathy, our osteopaths are highly educated, having completed a minimum of 5 years full time at university.

·  Our practitioners are experts in the field; lecturers with Victoria University and osteopaths and myotherapists to elite sporting teams including Essendon football club, Melbourne storm and the ACT Academy of Sport cycling team.

·  We only treat one patient at a time, we won’t run between rooms, juggling 2 or 3 patients at a time so when you come in to Lonsdale Osteopathy, you know you’ll have our undivided attention.

·  You won’t be in & out in 5 minutes…not even in 15! At Lonsdale Osteopathy we spend 40 minutes with every patient, every time. We take the time to listen to you, thoroughly assess the problem area (as well as any area that may be referring pain) and treat you for longer to ensure you don’t have to come back as often.

·  We don’t just treat your muscles or your joints; we’ll selectively test the muscles, joints, nerves, ligaments and blood vessels in your problem area and then formulate an individual treatment plan to address all of the tissues involved so you get relief faster.

10 tips for managing your back or neck pain

Sometimes when you’ve ‘put your back out’ or your neck, it may be a few days before you can get an appointment with our osteopaths or tolerate a treatment so the following tips may be a useful in getting you through the acute phase of your injury.

Whenever your spine is injured, muscles will spasm in response and this can often be the most painful and disabling element of the problem. Muscle spasms with neck pain can often be the cause of associated headaches. Many of these tips are aimed at settling these muscle spasms.

1.      Try to keep moving; alternate between standing, sitting and if necessary, lying down. Spending long periods of time in the same position is likely to aggravate your back or neck and spending extended lengths of time in bed can actually hinder your recovery in the long run. Gentle movement will ease muscle spasm so try a short walk if you can tolerate it or maybe some gentle stretching & movement in the local pool or spa.

2.      Use a cushion or some sort of support in the small of your back when sitting or driving and be sure to take regular breaks to walk about & gently stretch.

3.      You can apply similar support in standing and walking using either your hands or by slinging a towel behind your back and holding on to either end with your hands.

4.      If you’ve previously been given stretches or exercises for these acute episodes of back or neck pain, reverting to these can be helpful. Just remember to take it easy & don’t force stretches, always ease into & out of them. Stiff muscles can respond to rapid or excessive movement by cramping up & spasming even more.

5.      Applying heat or ice may also help ease your pain, if you’re not sure which is best for you, try both to find out what works for you.

6.      Consulting your pharmacist for advice on anti-inflammatory or analgesic (pain relief) medication may also be useful when you’re in acute pain; just always be sure to safety and dosage directions.

Once your acute pain has settled there are a few other things you can be doing to help regain your mobility & function and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

7.      If you’re carrying extra weight, try to lose a bit to reduce the load on your spine and the muscles supporting it. Exercise regularly; walking, cycling or swimming can be an enjoyable way of exercising without putting too much strain on your back.

8.      Stretching regularly can reduce stiffness & increase mobility; helping you regain function & getting you back into the swing of life faster.

9.      Talk to our osteopaths about your workplace ergonomics; learn how your desk or workstation can be modified to reduce the impact on your neck & shoulders or learn about the right lifting technique to reduce the load on your low back. Minor changes to your daily work activities can have a major impact on the frequency & intensity of your back & neck pain episodes.

10.     Consider whether your mattress & pillow are providing you the support you need at night, after all we spend around a third of our lives in bed. Again our osteopaths can advise you on how likely it is that your sleeping posture is contributing to your problems and what can be done about it.

Chat to us today about how we can help you

03 9650 0734 

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