Osteopath advice please

[NOELallie]

I have an on-going back problem. Not really debilitating but frequently uncomfortable and can lead to very bad headaches. I keep it OKish with yoga but every know and again it flares up. I want to get it sorted by Christmas so I will be a bit more comfortable. Until recently I went to a chiropractor who definitely did the business but as the years have gone by I've got increasinly fed up with the length of time it's taken to finish the treatment. It seems that no matter how bad the problem is it ALWAYS needs 6 sessions at least. My beef is that with 3 kids and an (almost) full-time job it's hard to find time to go without at least one child in tow. Not to mention that every treatment costs me a fortune which I can't really afford. A friend recommended trying an osteopath saying that he should get results much quicker. I'm quite happy to go back 3 or 4 times a year for 'maintenance' but not 6 sessions every time! Any experienced 'osteopathees' out there who could advise me on this please? I know every back problem is different but does anyone know whether an osteopath will generally get results quicker than a chiro?

Bump! please...

I need to make an appointment soon as I'm in paaaiiiin!

My dp is an osteopath and physio and he worked in a chiropractors for a while doing sports massage. He said that in his opinion chiropractors do this 6 session thing as a business model and that it is not necessarily in the interest of the patient. I'm sure a chiroprator mner will come along and be really angry but there you go, that's what he told me.

Go to an osteopath.

A good osteopath will only give you the treatment you need and in my ongoing experience of back problems yes weekly appt for up to 6 weeks, then down to once a fortnight, once a month then occasional is more usual at the most.

Mine has told me to go exercise - she is right gym membership is cheaper than £30 a week (my back pain is not treatable just about managing it) and in 3 weeks it has made a big difference and am on fortnightly visits already!

Thanks for the replies.

carmenere - that is what I was beginning to suspect TBH

buffysmum - until about 6 months ago I had a gym membership and went regularly. My back certainly was better but I find that yoga helps it more...but sometimes it just gets too bad for anything like that to help. I do try to keep active generally though. I am hoping to start running regularly again once it doesn't hurt to move

I'll book a session and see what happens.

After all that I can't get an appointment before next Friday. .

Wish there was a 'slightly annoyed' icon - I don't really feel angry, just a little irritated....

Noelallie, I had a long term back problem which was eventually sorted by an oesteopath, but it did take 6 sessions (Perhaps some oesteos use the same business model ) After that she told me to go and learn the Alexander Technique. This was excellent advice and I have had no problems since.

dh has a back prob and I have a neck/shoulder problem, both of us used to spend ages at the osteopath until he recommended that we buy one of \link{ www.auravita.com/products/AURA/MHUL10759.asp\these}

I can honestly say that in the 2 years since we have had it we have not needed to visit the osteopath once (dh is seeing someone for a degenerative disc prob as well). If your problems are caused by your back going into spasm eg facet joint stuff, trapped nerves etc, then this is the biz. It really does buzz and massage deeply and the infra red helps too.

try again

We got ours from john bell & croydon in wigmore street