What happens at the appointment?
Your first appointment will be around an hour, and will start with me asking about why you’re seeing me, your general health, and your medical history, as this can all affect your treatment.
I will need to examine you, so I will ask you to take off your outer layers. Leggings, cycling shorts, briefs and bra tops are all ideal as underwear for your appointment.
I will then use my hands to feel around the area, and ask you to move in certain ways so I can tell you what is likely to be causing the problem. From there, I’ll tell you the plan for how I can treat you. If you’re happy with this, I will use a combination of different hands-on techniques. Some can involve the ‘clicking’ or ‘popping’ that you might have seen from other osteopaths or chiropractors - however they aren’t suitable for everyone, and if you don’t like these treatments, I will be able to use another approach. Depending on what we do, you might be a little sore for 24-48 hours afterwards, but this is normal.
After the hands-on treatment, I’ll give you some exercises and advice to help your recovery. Sometimes it can feel like there is a lot of information, so I can also email you with this afterwards. You are very welcome to call or message me with any questions after the appointment.
Daventry, September 2020
I bring a portable couch with me so I need somewhere to set it up - it’s long but quite narrow, and usually people have space in their living room or kitchen. Sometimes I go to see people who have had a back spasm so painful that they aren’t able to get up at all - if this is you, don’t worry, there is always some way to treat you wherever you are. I’ve even treated someone on a narrow boat!
Please could you provide a hand towel and a bath towel or blanket for couch, a couple of pillows or cushions, and somewhere to wash my hands. If you have some moisturising lotion, like E45 or handcream, that would also be useful but not essential. Also, please make sure any family pets are safely out of the way - I love animals, but sometimes they don’t like seeing their owners being treated by a strange person!
If I’m treating a baby, most of the examination and treatment can be done on with the little one on mum or dad’s lap, or when feeding.
All appointments cost £88, and I bring a card machine with me for contactless payment by phone or card, cash or bank transfer. I can email you a receipt, and if you have private healthcare I will send you a receipt for the treatment so you can reclaim the appointment cost (do check with your provider first). People who have manual jobs and are self-employed may be able to claim appointments as a business expense, provided it is for a work-related injury, such as a back problem after heavy lifting.
Some problems can be treated in one session, but often I need to see you again so I can monitor your progress and build on the improvements. For people with especially active lifestyles or very physical jobs, an ‘MOT’ every three to four months can be very helpful for keeping old problems at bay, and sorting out anything new before it becomes an issue. Second and subsequent appointments are shorter, typically half an hour plus set-up time.
“Elizabeth was great with my son when he had a painful knee. She was very knowledgeable and spent time explaining what she was doing to make him feel comfortable”
- Fiona J.