OSTEOPATHYGary Hobbs M.Ost, DO, NDMember of the General Osteopathic Council and British Osteopathic Association. Gary graduated from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London, with a Masters degree in Osteopathy (M.Ost), a diploma in Osteopathy and a diploma in Naturpathy (ND). Gary treats an array of painful conditions arising from the Musculo-skeletal system but particularly enjoys treating people with complex cases of low-back pain (those cases that have not responded to other forms of treatment). Furthermore, he has a keen interest in injury prevention and education. 'I believe that people are much better able to reduce their pain, if they understand what is causing it and how they can play an active role in their own recovery. By working together, we can get you out of pain and allow you to enjoy a pain-free future' Gary uses a range of techniques to aid you in your recovery, including: soft-tissue (massage type) techniques, joint manipulation, postural advice, exercise rehabilitation and of course, education on how not to exacerbate your pain. What is Osteopathy?Ostropathy is a uniquely established and recognised system of manual medicine. Osteopaths specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Although osteopaths treat many conditions, most people think of us as 'back specialists'. Back pain is what many osteopaths treat a lot of the time. Osteopathic treatment does not target symptoms only but treats the parts of the body that have caused the symptoms. Osteopaths have a holistic approach and believe that your whole body will work well if it is in good structural balance. What training do Osteopaths receive?To qualify, an osteopath must study for four to five years for an undergraduate degree. This is similar to a medical degree, with more emphasis on anatomy and musculoskeletal medicine and includes more than 1,000 hours of training in osteopathic techniques. By law, osteopaths must register with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). It is an offence for anyone to call themselves an osteopath if they are not registered. So Osteopathy is safe?Yes. Each Osteopath is highly trained and this training has been recognised by the wider medical community. For instance, The British Medical Association's guidance for general practitioners states that doctors can safely refer patients to Osteopaths. What will you do to diagnose my problem?Before we start to treat you, we will make a full medical assessment. This will include asking questions about your previous medical history and if necessary, we will write to your GP for a copy of your medical notes. We will also take time to listen to you and ask questions to make sure we understand your medical history and your day-to-day routine. We'll ask you abou things like diet, exercise and what is happening in your life, as these may give clues to help our diagnosis. We may feel your pulse and check your reflexes. We may also take your blood pressure, examine your abdomen and do other tests on your nervous system, which are all painless. We usually look at your posture and how you move your body. We may also assess what happens when we move it for you and see what hurts, where and when. Furthermore, using touch (palpation) we may also find the areas which are sensitive or tight and this helps us to identify what's causing your pain. When we have done all of this, we can diagnose your condition. What if Osteopathy can't help me?We may sometimes feel that osteopathy is not appropriate for you and refer you to your GP or another specialist such as an orthopaedic surgeon. Conditions treated:
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