What are osteopaths goals of treatment?
As an osteopath, naturally our main goal is to get you pain free, but what are some of our other goals?
- Off any pain medication
I am not against medication and it definelty has its place, but a goal of mine is to always get my patients to be pain free, not needing any pain mediation. This is always achieved in the guidance of your doctor to ensure it is done safely. In an ideal world, as treatment progresses, you won't need to rely on medication and will become pain free. There are exceptions to this, for example with chronic illness, where this may not be possible.
- Back to work
It can be financially straining to be off work, especially if you own the business and therefore you are the business. This might be something we work on together and slowly increase your hours and days at work, until you are ready to go back full time.
- Pain free sleep at night
Often pain can wake us at night time, when we roll over in bed or struggle to get to sleep in the first place. Osteopaths offer advice on the most suitable position for your pain and injury.
- Return to exercise
Again, like returning to work, this may be a gradual process. You may need to start off at a lower intensity and shorter duration. Generally avoiding all exercise is not recommended, by this is case by case. It might mean you have to do a light, short walk, instead of your usual run.
- Preventing your pain from returning
Osteopathic treatment is aimed at finding the cause of your treatment and therefore by treating the cause, your pain is less likely to come back again.
- Help you achieve your goals
These might be physical goals; weight loss, muscle gain, exercise related, or these might be more broad. Osteopaths will help talk these through with you and how best you achieve them. Goal setting and working on ways to achieve goals, is something I like to work on with patients.