Why Osteopaths Treat People not Conditions

Why Osteopaths Treat People not Conditions 


Health care professionals would call this patient centred care nowadays and say its a relatively new idea. 


As Osteopaths, we have a philosophy that invites us to look at the person we are treating, not necessarily the condition they present with. This is ingrained into our very existence, written in the principles that we treat by and which the profession of osteopathy was founded in 1874. Yes.. we’ve been doing it that long ! 


If helping people was as simple as you have X condition and it needs X to get rid of it, then you would get a print out from the doctor that told you what to do and everything would be fine. 


The problem with that is that we as human beings have a lot more things going on. We need treatment and advice that is tailored to us and our needs.


Now let me just say there are conditions where that formula works perfectly, so please continue your medication and don’t stop taking anything prescribed by your doctor. This is not a criticism of any medical professionals, they are outstanding people who do incredible things. This is merely highlighting an approach to things that aren’t necessarily cured straight away with a pill or operation. 


That’s why Osteopaths treat every person who walks through their clinic doors as an individual ! You see giving the same advice to two seperate people can produce two very different outcomes. Let’s take a diet for example how many times have you and a friend or loved one been on the same diet as you and they lose a ton of weight and you lose hardly any ? 


You followed the same diet, you had the same food ? What’s going on ? 


We are all individuals with our own personal issues going on. We have our own bodies of different shapes and sizes, different jobs, different thoughts and different stressors. Not to mention all the physiological differences, that’s another article. 


The bottom line is we do what’s best for you and you alone. The treatment we give may be the same each time we see you or different each time. It may be similar to a friend whos been treated by us or completely different even if you have the same issue or pain site. 


Written by Jamie Morris, Registered Osteopath


For more information or to enquire about treatment call or e - mail us at; 


Hereford Osteopathic Centre 

MAIL@HEREFORDOSTEOPATHS.CO.UK

(01432 35 66 55)