Understanding what to expect on your first osteopathy treatment goes a long way to making you more comfortable and therefore contributes to a better treatment experience. Firstly, seeing an osteopath is very common. In fact over 30,000 Australians have an osteopathic treatment each day.
Osteopaths are classified as primary healthcare providers by the Australian health system. This means that you do not need to secure a doctor's referral in order to make an appointment. As osteopaths are registered health professionals, you are also eligible for private health insurance rebates, which can significantly reduce the cost of a treatment.
What Should I Bring to a Treatment?
As osteopathy is a manual therapy that focuses on helping your body heal itself, there is no need to bring anything to your treatment. It's recommended that you bring any recent x-rays, especially if they relate to your area or concern. An osteopath has training in reading x-rays and identifying their information.
It's also a good idea to wear loose fitting clothes, as this helps your joints move freely during the treatment. Tight clothing tends to restrict movement and thereby restrict the osteopath's treatment technique.
Although times vary between osteopaths, expect your initial treatment to last about one hour. During this time your first treatment will be split into two parts: your medical history and your treatment.
Treatment Part 1: Your Medical History
