Questions about osteopathy
Frequently asked questions
Questions about osteopathy
Frequently asked questions
What can osteopaths help you with?
Osteopaths treat the person rather than specific conditions - for example, an injury to your knee might also affect the foot, hip and spine. Osteopathy can help relieve the symptoms of a range of conditions, including:
Aches and pains
Joint pains including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis in association with other treatment for this condition
Arthritic pain
General, acute and chronic backache and back pain
Neck pain
Headache arising from the neck
Shoulder and elbow pain
Joint pains and lumbago
Sciatica
Muscle spasms
Sports injuries and muscular tensions
Do I need to be referred by my GP?
There is no need for a GP referral to our clinic, so you can book directly. Once you have been examined and a case history taken, it may be necessary to refer you to your GP for further tests or evaluation before a diagnosis can be made and treatment is undertaken or if treatment is not possible for medical reasons. However in the majority of instances, patients are suitable for treatment at Haringey Osteopaths.
Will my health insurance cover osteopathic treatments?
It is always best to check with your provider before booking in with us. At Haringey Osteopaths we are covered by PruHealth, Aviva, Cigna, Simply Health, WPA. If you are using health insurance to pay for your appointments, it is important you have the relevant documentation from your insurer. This will often mean a authorisation number from your insurer for your current health complaint.
It is Haringey Osteopaths policy to ask for full payment for your session, regardless if you are paying through self pay or your insurer. We will then provide a receipt of payment for you, so your insurer can reimburse you.
Please note we are not covered by Bupa or AXA PPP.
What should I wear?
For osteopathy please bring suitable clothing for an assessment and treatment. If you have a neck or back problem it may be necessary to remove your top or wear a vest. If you have a lower limb issue bring shorts. It may be that you are asked to undress to your underwear for examination, it is best to wear underwear that you will be comfortable in. If you are not keen to undress, wearing loose-fitting separates or sports wear may help with this – for example a sports top and shorts rather than a dress.
Where are you situated?
Haringey osteopaths are located within Coolhurst Tennis and Squash club, situated 5 minutes walk from the centre of Crouch End, London.
Full address:
Haringey Osteopaths Coolhurst tennis and squash club Courtside London N8 8EY
Can I park?
Yes. Free parking is available onsite in Coolhurst tennis and squash club car park. Upon arriving please ask for a parking voucher behind the club bar, stating that you are visiting for osteopathy treatment.
What’s involved?
On your first consultation we will take a detailed case history. This will involve close attention to your current injury/pain, as well as old injuries. At Haringey Osteopaths we aim to get to the root cause of your injury, as this provides you with the best outcome both short and long term. We are also interested in how you use your body day to day, as this all has a huge effect. Are you sat at a desk hours on end? What sports do you play? Have you recently changed your diet etc? This detailed questioning allows us to treat you with greater specificity, giving you better results. We will also take a brief medical history to ensure your pain is musculoskeletal in nature and not something more sinister.
We will then performed a detailed examination, assessing for areas of imbalance that may have caused your current pain. Are your joints and spine moving as it should? Are some muscles weak, whilst others overpowering? Have you developed compensatory movement patterns?
Following the case history and examination we will have a good idea of your diagnosis, and this will be carefully explained to you in a way that you can understand. We will also explain to you the best treatment for that diagnosis, and give advice on how you can help yourself recover quickest.
We will then provide you with the most effective treatment. This typically involves a range of techniques taught to osteopaths and expertly honed. Osteopaths use techniques such as manipulations and articulations to encourage range of motion at joints and massage to allow muscles to heal quicker.
Exercise advice will then be provided so that you have full autonomy over your pain, allowing you the best chance of recovery in the shortest possible time frame.