Osteopaths are primary health care practitioners. They are trained to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal disorders. The philosophy of osteopathy is to treat the whole person and not just the symptoms. At AMC, our osteopaths focus on the relationship between the body's structure and function, whilst also recognizing the body's ability to heal itself.

 
Osteopaths are commonly recognised for their treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, however, they also have a role to play in the management of a number of other conditions. Osteopathy is suitable for almost anyone and may contribute to alleviating an enormous range of painful/debilitating conditions including:

• Neck and back pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Joint pain
• Sports injuries
• Arthritic conditions
• Muscle strains and tendonitis
• Work-related and repetitive strain injuries
• Spinal pain and 'sciatica' ... plus many more musculoskeletal conditions.
  

Osteopaths may also contribute towards the management of pain due to arthritic conditions, and when used in conjunction with medical treatment, can reduce the severity of many other painful conditions affecting the muscles and joints.

 Expecting mothers may also find osteopathic treatment very beneficial to help in the reduction of back pain during pregnancy and also to help prepare the body for birth.

 During the first consultation with an osteopath, a full case history will be taken as well as a thorough examination. Usually, treatment is also provided during the first visit.

 At AMC, our osteopathic treatments are tailored to the requirements of the individual patient.

Osteopaths work using hands-on techniques to assess and perform treatments which may include a variety of techniques:

• Massage and stretching techniques
• Articulation techniques - joints are mobilised by being passively taken through their range of motion
• Muscle energy techniques - releasing contracted muscles by working against resistance
• Counterstrain techniques - counter stretching restricted joints and muscles whilst in position of comfort in order to achieve release
• Functional techniques - gentle joint mobilisation
• Manipulation - carried out using minimum force levels in order to maximise safety and minimise patient discomfort
• Visceral techniques - management of conditions affecting internal organs involving gentle and rhythmical stretching of the visceral areas
• Osteopathy in the Cranial Field

The official beginning of the osteopathic profession dates back to the mid 1800s, however, manual manipulation of the spine and other joints in the body has been around for a long time. Ancient writings from China and Greece dating between 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention spinal manipulation and the manoeuvring of the lower extremities to ease lower back pain.

Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician who lived from 460 to 357 B.C., published a text detailing the importance of manual manipulation.  In one of his writings he declares, "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases".

Evidence of manual manipulation of the body has been found among the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Japan, the Incas, Mayans and Native Americans.

Osteopathic treatment aims to be a gentle yet powerful form of treatment effective across all age ranges. Mechanical stresses may be an important factor in your child’s development and activity. Osteopaths may assess your child’s posture, provide gentle stretching techniques and may recommend exercises and activities which may help improve posture.

Currently, in Australia, osteopaths are primary healthcare practitioners who complete a minimum 4 or 5 years university training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, general medical diagnosis and osteopathic techniques, to obtain registration to practice as an osteopath. All our Osteopaths at AMC are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Association (AHPRA) and are members of Osteopathy Australia (OA).

No, Osteopaths are primary practitioners. Simply make an appointment directly at AMC Southport Central (1300 007 808) , unless you are wishing to claim through the Department of Veterans Affairs or EPC / Chronic disease Management (CDM) Plan. Like going to the dentist, you do not need a referral from your GP, however increasingly, GP's are referring patients to AMC’s osteopaths. Osteopathy is often recommended in conjunction with orthodox medical treatment and many other science-based medical & allied therapies.

A rebate is often claimable through private health funds under the ancillary or extras cover, so check with your fund to see if your policy provides rebates for osteopathy.  AMC has HICAPS available for on-site rebate claiming. Patients need to pay any GAP between any health fund rebate and the fee charged at the time of their treatment.

Yes, Medicare now reimburses approx $56  off the fee you pay for your osteopathic treatment for certain chronic health conditions. You must have a referral from your GP to take advantage of this system, so talk to your GP about the Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM)/Enhanced Primary Care Plan (EPC) to see if you qualify for type of plan, as your GP can then refer you to one of our osteopaths at AMC for up to 5 treatments per calendar year.

Yes, the cost of part of your osteopathic treatment fee you pay AMC can be reimbursed when approved by Workcover. If you already have a Workcover claim number, please bring it with you. Otherwise, let your GP know that you want to consult one of our osteopaths.

On your first visit, your practitioner can discuss with you about the approximate number of treatments you may require. Obviously, this will depend on factors such as your age, general health, work and lifestyle as well as the nature of your condition and how long you have had the symptoms. 

At AMC, we pride ourselves on getting patients better quickly and treat each patients’ case individually. Our Osteopaths at AMC usually expect to see positive results within  2-5 treatments for common symptoms.

However, it must be emphasized that each individual and complaint is unique, therefore some people will require more or less treatment before their symptoms improve. Chronic conditions may need ongoing regular or periodic maintenance throughout the year.

Treatment may be very effective in not only reducing chronic pain experienced throughout the musculoskeletal system but also may assist in improving flexibility and mobility and posture.

Osteopathy is an original modern day manual medicine from which many other forms have evolved. Osteopaths pride themselves on their ability to treat each person as a whole and not just the presenting symptoms. An example is that if you go to an osteopath with knee pain, the osteopath will not only examine and treat your knee symptoms, but they will also want to know how the injury occurred, were any others areas involved which have a bio-mechanical relationship to the knee such as the ankle, low back or pelvis, and any associated soft tissue injuries. Each part of the person’s detailed case history will help the osteopath piece together your individual case and, therefore, determine the appropriate treatment, exercise and rehabilitation.

 
Osteopaths also analyse the possible secondary effects due to your injury. For instance, you may be favouring the injured knee and, therefore, putting more weight on the other side. Over time, these mechanical changes may lead to problems developing in the ankles, hips, low back, pelvis or even the opposite knee.

 
The Osteopath then uses all of the collected information to develop a treatment and rehab plan that helps addresses not just the initial knee injury, but all of the other areas of the body and associated tissues that may be affected as a result of this trauma.

 
As we are not trained in physiotherapy or chiropractics, we do not make representations for these professions regarding their treatment methods or philosophies. Those wishing to know more about physiotherapy or chiropractics should look under the industry associations representing these professions.