Your initial appointment takes 60 minutes (unless you chose a longer initial one) and gives me the opportunity to assess and evaluate how I can help you. This includes a short noting your medical history, assessing your posture and body mobility, evaluating the state of your tissues, carrying out relevant orthopaedic tests and treatment.
I will also explain in an easy-to-understand way what I think is happening with your body and why.
A thorough evaluation allows me to find the most likely reasons and sources of the problem and how it affects the surrounding tissues, structures, and the rest of your body. It also lets me rule out as many potential restrictions as possible and which techniques/approaches I should exclude at this moment (which might be in my opinion contraindicatory at this moment; for example – if you have inflammation in the deep tissues – typical massage may aggravate your symptoms).
Based on my findings, knowledge, and experience, I create a treatment plan for you, including an estimate of how many treatment sessions we might need, which we can discuss after your treatment.
As an Osteopath, I work in a regulated medical profession (and I am fully and appropriately insured), so I have a responsibility to provide the highest standards of health and safety, help patients as much as I can, and, above all, do no harm.
Your follow-up appointment takes 30 minutes (UK standard of osteopathic duration of a follow-up appointment) or 60 minutes (if you choose one) and includes few minutes revision of how you’ve been since the previous appointment and a short assessment. The vast majority of time is a hands-on treatment.
A longer initial appointment of 75 minutes is available on request. You can also choose a 60 minutes follow-up. This allows for more thorough and profound work, which could be more beneficial for your body and long-term well-being. It may be more useful for those patients who have to travel far to see me; those who would like thorough full-body work to offer regular/prevention treatment from occasional appointments; or those who are only in Edinburgh for a short time.
Your comfort and modesty are my priority. You will not need to undress fully for either your assessment or your treatment. Female patients are asked to wear shorts/yoga pants and a sports bra, while male patients are asked to wear boxers/shorts.
You will be asked to lie on an osteopathic couch for your session and may be covered by a towel if you wish. The quality and effectiveness of your treatment are not affected if you decide to have a towel covering. I only uncover that part of the body I am treating, after which I cover it up again to keep you warm.
Shiatsu is a stand-alone therapy, though I may incorporate a few other techniques during a Shiatsu session, or use Shiatsu acupressure points individually, to complement an osteopathic treatment. Shiatsu appointment takes 50 min, cost £55.
Many people know me as a massage therapist. I can still offer a therapeutic massage on request and I add massage techniques as part of your treatment where it is appropriate.
While you might think a massage is the best solution to your pain or symptoms, it may actually do more harm than good in certain cases. That’s where my training as an Osteopath means you receive the very high quality treatment for your particular condition, whether that includes massage techniques or other ones, or another approach (for example myofascial release) etc.
Prices for massage therapy are the same as my osteopathic appointments.