Let’s face it – if you’ve ever wondered “how often should you see an osteopath,” the advice can be a little contradictory. Some people say you should visit an osteopath every few weeks. However, others claim that you may only need to go every few months! Which is the right answer here?
Of course, there’s no solution for everyone. However, ensuring that you know what an osteopath is good for can help in this regard. As such, today, we’re outlining everything you need to know about professional osteopaths.
In today’s guide, we’ll cover questions like “does osteopathy work” and “what are the disadvantages of osteopathy” to help your decision. Doing so should help you decide how often you should see an osteopath going forward.
How Often Should you See an Osteopath?
The answer will vary based on many factors. In general, if you have symptoms of pain or discomfort, you should see an osteopath around once per month, once your symptoms have reduced but at the beginning may need to see them more frequently. However, if you have more severe pain, you may want to visit your osteopath every few weeks until the pain reduces.
In contrast, if you are visiting an osteopath to prevent symptoms from setting in, you may want to visit less often. In this case, visiting your osteopath every four to six weeks may be suitable.
The exact timeframe will always depend on your requirements and symptoms. The osteopath’s experience may also contribute here. So, it may be worth contacting a professional to get advice on your specific requirements.
What are the Benefits and Disadvantages of Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is based on the study of biomechanics. In other words, osteopaths look at how your joints, muscles, and bones work together. This simple, broad focus allows professional osteopaths to provide effective services for recovery.
Osteopathy is based on the study of biomechanics. In other words, osteopaths look at how your joints, muscles, and bones work together. This simple, broad focus allows professional osteopaths to provide effective services for recovery.
Some of the main benefits and strengths of osteopathy include the following:
- Osteopathy allows a full-body focus. By contrast, chiropractic services only look at a very limited specific problem area, limiting their value. If you would like to see the detailed differences between an osteopath and a chiropractor, check out our latest blog.
- Osteo is a simple and painless procedure. You might feel a little sore, but it shouldn’t hurt.
- Your chosen osteopath should be well trained to a degree level. As such, you won’t have to worry about whether or not they’re up to the task!
However, while many people use osteopathy for a wide range of reasons, it’s not perfect for everyone. Some of the most common disadvantages of osteopathy include:
- It needs to be repeated relatively often.
- A small number of people may find osteopathy uncomfortable.
- It’s not a miracle cure – it can’t fix everything automatically.
Does Osteopathy Actually Work?
When you attend osteo sessions regularly, it can work wonders. Of course, every patient will have a different experience with osteopathy sessions. Still, it’s worth noting that osteopathy can provide effective, long-term results for pain relief and improving long term health.
Expert osteopaths are professionally trained to a degree standard. Osteopaths hold a Bachelor’s Degree at a minimum. In addition, in Australia, osteopaths must also hold an additional one or two years of experience in osteo at a Master’s degree level. This means that many osteopaths are much more highly qualified than many people realise.
Our body’s natural systems work collaboratively to keep us fit and well. By developing an understanding of these systems, osteopaths provide a full-body healing approach. This is why osteopathy can work very well for many patients – but you’ll need to attend at suitable regular intervals to get great results.
Why Should you Rest After Osteopathy?
After an osteo session, you may feel a little sore. Don’t worry – this is normal. However, a period of rest is often a good idea to help ensure you don’t cause any damage.
Our body’s natural systems work collaboratively to keep us fit and well. By developing an understanding of these systems, osteopaths provide a full-body healing approach. This is why osteopathy can work very well for many patients – but you’ll need to attend at suitable regular intervals to get great results.
Of course, that’s not to say that you can’t do anything after your osteo session. You can still get out and about, and after a few days, more vigorous exercise may be okay. Discuss this with your professional osteopath during your session for more tailored guidance to your needs.
Final Thoughts
In an ideal world, you should rest after an osteopathy session in most cases. This allows your body time to heal and recover. However, waiting too long between your osteopathy sessions could reduce the benefits. As such, we recommend that you consult with your professional osteopath for further support in your case. However, as a general guide, you should aim to see your professional osteopath around once per month. This may be a little more regular if you have a major injury that you need help with healing. Alternatively, if it’s to prevent symptoms, you may not need to go as often.
Hopefully, this guide will have helped you learn a little more about visiting an expert osteopath. After all, many people assume they should go every week. In reality, though, this may not always be true. But, if you’re still asking, “how often should you see an osteopath,” get in touch with our experts for personalised support today!
