The first session of osteopathy takes place in 3 steps:
1. During the first step is, the osteopath asks you a lot of questions to try to understand your present complaint (Where? When? How?…). To more understand your pain the osteopath answers you questions about your health history, your investigation, your medication, your lifetime, your accidents…
2. The second step is the physical exam. It includes, firstly, a general observation to determine how the patient is positioned in his environment and define his general pattern. Then, the practitioner proceeds to medical tests (orthopaedic, neurological …) if necessary. He checks the results obtained with the information provided by the history and determines if he can support the patient or if it is better to redirect him to another health professional. The final part of the exam consists in the realization of osteopathic testing of different anatomical regions. After these tests, the osteopath poses a Specific Osteopathic Diagnosis.
3. The third step is the treatment by combining technical musculoskeletal, visceral and cranio-sacral tissue adapted to each patient, to correct imbalances causing the patient’s symptoms.
At the end, the practitioner may give some advises concerning habits, lifestyle, and exercise.
