What to expect from Treatment, our Qualifications & what if you are unhappy with your treatment.
What to expect from Osteopathic Treatment & what to do if you're not happy with your treatment.
At your initial appointment the Osteopath will complete a comprehensive case history. This will include information about the current complaint, the time frame, and any aggravating and relieving factors. We will then ask some questions about your past medical history. There may be previous operations or accidents that may have occurred a long time ago but that may still have an influence on the current problem.
Alison will ask about the pregnancy and birth in the case history for babies and children.
Following this, the Osteopath will start the osteopathic assessment. You may be asked to undress to your underwear depending on which area(s) we need to assess. You are welcome to bring a chaperone with you to the treatment, and you may bring shorts and a vest if that helps you to feel more comfortable. All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
We will normally ask you to perform some simple movements while we assess the function (movement) of your body and determine any restricted areas. We may also do some other tests to help us reach a working diagnosis.
We will use our hands to palpate relevant areas of your body, with your consent, to gain information relating to your symptoms. We will explain our findings to you to help you understand what treatment may entail and decide whether you are happy to go ahead with the treatment.
If we have any concerns about the suitability of osteopathic treatment for you, then we will discuss this with you and refer you to your G.P. or other health professional.
Treatment is likely to take make many forms depending on the complaint and the examination findings but it is likely to include some or all of the following treatment modalities depending on what you feel comfortable with, and which we feel will be most beneficial for you; soft-tissue work, mobilisation, manipulation, fascial release techniques and cranial osteopathy. We will explain the techniques to you as the treatment progresses but please ask if you would like more information.
The number and frequency of osteopathic treatments depends on the individual patient. It is sometimes difficult to tell initially how a patient will respond to treatment but we will endeavour to discuss follow-up appointments with you during the initial consultation.
Post treatment:
Having any physical therapy treatment whether for preventative care, rehabilitation or to manage a recent acute condition, usually involves some hands-on treatment; this often leads to temporary side effects. It's common to feel a little stiff or sore the next day following the initial treatment. This usually lasts 24-48 hours. It is also common to feel tired or to have a temporary headache after treatment. Occasionally it is possible to experience much less common side effects that are more severe and/or last longer than a few days.
If you have any concerns at all please contact us on 07789 518356.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY WITH YOUR OSTEOPATHIC TREATMENT
We hope that you will be happy with your experience of osteopathic treatment with us but if, for whatever reason, you are not then please let us know as soon as possible.
Please give us full details of your complaint and we will undertake to treat it seriously, deal with it promptly and learn from it by reviewing or, if appropriate, improving our standards.
Make your complaint to Alison either in person, by phone (07789 518356), in an e-mail (info@alisonodochartaighosteopath.com) or by letter (Bronawel, Tanygroes, Cardigan, SA43 2JT).
Alison will investigate your complaint during the following few days and will aim to:
1/ Find out what happened and what went wrong.
2/ Make sure you receive an explanation and an apology if this is appropriate.
3/ Identify what we can do to ensure that this problem does not arise again.
Institute of Osteopathy Complaints Resolution Service
If you feel uncomfortable complaining directly to make or do not feel that your complaint has been resolved to your satisfaction, you can speak to the Institute of Osteopathy by ringing Freephone 0800 110 5857 or e-mailing enquiries@osteopathy.org.
General Osteopathic Council
If you are concerned about safety and you wish to instigate a formal complaint with the regulatory body, the General Osteopathic Council can be contacted on 0207 3576655. please note that the General Osteopathic Council cannot award compensation.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Alison O'Dochartaigh
BSc. (Hons.) Osteopathic Medicine 2002
MSc. Animal Manipulation (Osteopathic Pathway) 2008
Alison is a Fellow of the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy (SCCO).
She has completed her studies on the SCCO pathway. This is a portfolio of the SCCO modules 1-10 and the completion of 3 case study assignments. On completion the osteopath is considered to be trained to a very high standard in "Osteopathy in the Cranial Field".
Alison completed Module 1 as an undergraduate at BCOM and has since completed the following modules:
Osteopathy in the Cranial Field (Module 2/3)
Balanced Ligamentous Tension (BLT) (Module 4)
In Reciprocal Tension (Module 5)
Living Breathing Bone (Module 6)
Spark in the Motor (Module 7)
The Functional Face (Module 8)
An Introduction to Paediatric Osteopathy (Module 9)
Integrating Cranial into Practice (Module 10)
Alison is registered with the General Osteopathic Council.
Alison is also a member of the Institute of Osteopathy (iO), the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP) and a Fellow of the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy (SCCO),.
Merlin Kennett
MOst Osteopathy
For more information please call us on 07789 518356 or e-mail me on info@alisonodochartaighosteopath.com
Cardigan, Ceredigion