Why do osteopaths not just treat the sore spot?

A new patient may often be confused why they have come in for lower back pain but I assess the whole spine, way you walk, posture etc then start treating from the neck down (not always). An osteopathic theory is the ‘body as whole’. This means we think for the body to work well, ideally the whole body is working well. So our assessment and treatment is not isolated to where the pain is often felt by the patient.

For example lower back pain. I start by looking at the way you walk from the reception area to the clinic room, your posture, then active movements of your neck, back, hips etc. This gives me the bigger picture on how well your whole body is working. Your lower back might be sore but one leg might be shorter, one hip might be tighter and your upper back might be restricted, thus all creating strain on your sore lower back. Also the case history questions are not limited to just the area of pain. I also ask you about your general health, stress, diet, sleep, work and so on, as these factors can largely influence your area of pain. For example if you are not having quality sleep at night, living a very stressful life and eating poorly, your body is not in the best state to heal the area of pain. I discuss ways to improve those areas of your life and refer to other practitioners where applicable, to help get your body in the best state possible. Some things may not able to be changed (like work hours) but ways to deal with them and other changes you could try to cope better are discussed.

In summary

We assess and treat the entire body. Not limited to just the area of pain and just the musculoskeletal system. We help you identify all areas of your health and life that need addressing, that may be prevent your area of pain from healing. As mentioned above, if you are highly stressed, living on minimal and poor quality sleep, your body does not have the capacity to heal your muscle pain. It priorities what it deems the most important, which is always your organs over the MSK system.

Sarah Boughtwood is a North Shore, Auckland based osteopath. Specialising is both general and pregnancy osteopathic treatment. Sarah is ACC registered, with no referral required.