Assessment
Osteopaths use several methods to decide what could be causing your problem. These include:
Palpation (hands on examination looking for tension, swelling and tenderness)
Movement (you do some movements, the osteopath then moves some joints for you)
Nerve stretch tests (this is to check for irritated or compressed nerves)
Reflex and muscle tests (to find out if there is a more serious condition)
Basic general health tests (for example, blood pressure, taking a pulse, listening to lungs)
In some cases you might be referred back to your GP for investigations such as blood tests, X-ray or MRI scan.
For more detail about an actual consultation see ‘The first consultation’.
