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Osteopath

(48 Posts)
Foxgloveandroses Thu 06-Feb-25 22:50:52

Has anyone tried an osteopath before? Did you have positive results? I'm at my wits end with 7 months of what I believe is a painful psoas muscle (pain in my right groin) and what I think is a pinched nerve in my hip/groin area when I walk. I have now developed a limp and I walk so slowly. I tried to do a usual walk I did before all this and only managed a quarter of it and was in severe pain the whole time 🙁
So paying to see an osteopath on Saturday and pinning all my hopes on it 😩

growstuff Sun 09-Feb-25 15:06:27

Sealady

MayBee70

If the pain is in your groin might it be arthritis in your hip? I always thought the pain would be on the outside of your hip but from what I’ve read it’s on the inside.

This was my experience - pain in groin, glutes, limp, was bone on bone arthritis in hip.....

Me too! My GP has a locum physio at the moment who is brilliant. I've seen a physio before, but she wasn't very good. This one got me doing all sorts of things and gave me a print out of the results. I have slight arthritis in my hip, but that's not causing me too much pain. Like you I have pain in my groin. He gave me exercises to strengthen my glutes and lower back, which seem to be working.

I also have degeneration in one of my discs, which was confirmed by MRI. Again, I saw a physio, who really helped. I was told to avoid an osteopath.

Madmeg Sun 09-Feb-25 15:08:49

Nearly 40 years ago I developed a very painful lower back. After numerous tests and x-rays I was told it was "all in the mind" and if I wanted I could see a physiotherapist (privately of course).

At the time the pain was so bad that I was unable to work at my part-time teaching job cos I couldn't sit, stand or reach the blackboard without incredible pain.

The physio sorted me. It took one appointment for her to diagnose that I had scoliosis (curvature of the spine). She used ultrasound and gentle manipulation as well as giving me various exercises to do. I did those religiously, and after about ten appointments and six months later I had no remaining pain. I have kept up with those exercises from time to time and still have no pain. I still have to watch my posture (no leaning into the car boot) but if I do suffer, the exercises sort it out quickly.

Just telling you this to suggest that a physio may be able to offer other less accepted therapies (such as manipulation) to solve the problem.

oodles Sun 09-Feb-25 15:12:34

Hy husband asked doc whether it would be worth seeing one and while he wasn't able to make a referral he did say who he and his family used, asking around some other people he knew had had good results, he went along and the soteopath said that he thought it was a particular condition and suggested he went privately to a specialist in the condition, he was able.to.get a referral and from the diagnosis was able to go forward
It was a chiropodist who worked out the cause of some of my issues which has been very helpful for me going forward, she was much more helpful than the doc, who wasn't really into musculoskeletal issues

bathsalts Sun 09-Feb-25 15:19:35

I'm afraid I'm addicted to mine! It is now a chronic condition that I need to manage. Disappointing really.

Squiffy Sun 09-Feb-25 15:50:57

Foxgloveandroses, I think you were very unfortunate in your choice of osteopath! He sounds awful. I’m sure you would be able to find another - better and more empathetic - one, preferably via recommendations.

The one I use is qualified in cranial osteopathy as well, which is very effective, especially after having treatment on the rest of the body first. Although the treatment is carried out on the skull, it affects other body parts, too.

Grammaretto Sun 09-Feb-25 16:10:43

I had several sessions with an osteopath both for back pain and a shoulder strain.
She helped in both cases.
She teaches osteopathy and has many clients who go to her for sports injuries. It's quite expensive but each session is an hour.
I also see a chiropractor occasionally again for pain in back and hip.
He sent me for xray a few years ago as he said he couldn't do any more.
I had an exray which has led to my recent hip replacement.

knspol Sun 09-Feb-25 16:28:06

Many years ago I had treatment from an osteopath but it was no help at all. I later saw a physiotherapist with great results. It probably depends somewhat on the problem but I would definitely see my GP and hopefully a consultant first. In my case the GP recommended the osteo but the consultant suggested a physio.

Foxgloveandroses Sun 09-Feb-25 16:29:30

Thank you so much everyone 🙏🏼

wibblywobblywobblebottom Sun 09-Feb-25 17:21:03

Go to your GP first before spending money on an osteopath, as you may have problem that doesn't require one.

Pinkrinse Sun 09-Feb-25 18:17:31

See one regularly. Check qualifications or go to someone recommended. I use an oesteopath, and a sports massage depending on whether it’s muscular or skeletal. Worth a try.

leeds22 Sun 09-Feb-25 19:06:59

I’m seeing an osteopath currently, for lower back pain. He says my back muscles are solid but on his recommendation I’m having an MRI scan too. GP just gave me codeine for the pain.

CariadAgain Sun 09-Feb-25 19:29:43

I certainly rate osteopaths personally. Someone else did my back in a couple of times and osteopathy helped with that.

I had a problem with a big toe one time and he manipulated it and end of problem.

I had had a genuine Turkish massage whilst on holiday there one time and I was daft enough to go ahead with it when this masseur (who I had never clapped eyes on before) glared at me like she disliked me. I told myself "Don't be stupid - how can she dislike you? She's never met you before". I was right. She pulled one of my legs a bit out of its socket. Cue for at intervals my nearby hip nagged at me for months and I was scared it meant she'd cause me to have hip problems later in life. I had to ask the osteopath I was seeing at the time for other stuff several times to "do something" about it - as I felt sure he could if he wanted to. I was right - I finally managed to persuade him to have a go at that and he put hands round top of my leg and sorta adjusted it there - and that dealt with that problem at last (ie she'd pulled it out of socket and he pushed it back in I reckon).

So - yep....I am a bit wary of chiropractors - but I do rate osteopaths (especially ones that include cranial osteopathy).

I'm sorry you had what sounded like a bad one (and particularly expensive too by the sound of it) and "bad pennies" do get in everywhere - even in private medicine (where one wouldnt think they would - because you're paying them directly).

From a recent need for a different type of practitioner (ie podiatrist) who turned out to be absolutely awful and I'm still in the process of sorting out the mess she made of a big toenail of mine for a perfectly standard procedure I've learnt a bit about how to spot clues they are useless on their website. The clues in her case were:

- she works from her own home (starter terrace house) and makes a point of saying that patients can't use her loo (!) and the nearest public loo is at x (darn awful it is too....!)

- she doesn't have a waiting area for patients (even though there is a sorta couch in her hallway) and makes them wait outside for their appointment (in all the Welsh weather!)

I'd seen those two clues that she's all about her personally and couldnt quite believe my eyes and went to see her anyway. But THE biggest clue of the lot is she (a professional apparently!!!) says on her webpage that she might cancel peoples appointments on them even as late as the day itself so she can go and do her personal hobby (ie voluntary work for the RNLI - I know a couple of people who have been involved with this and they tell me there's always other volunteers in reserve).

My own fault I guess for not reading all the way down her website page - or I'd have seen the "Me personally and my little hobby of RNLI volunteering come before you lot" comment and would have thought "She's supposed to be a professional!!!!!!!" and wouldnt have booked her in the first place.

So maybe the clues were there on the website of this particular osteopath that they put themselves personally first and they're not very good. I can understand anyone missing such clues - as it's twice I've missed the clues now that they are bad and don't use them (ie that Turkish masseur and "Mrs" her first name/husbands surname podiatrist).

Thought for the day being with all practitioners - read every last word on their websites/any reviews there are/etc and, if they are bad and/or self-centred there might well be clues telling you.

Kfimbs Sun 09-Feb-25 23:01:53

Avoid letting an osteopath manipulate your neck. It can case a tear in the lining of blood vessels in your neck which can lead to a stroke

Rosiebee Mon 10-Feb-25 09:05:24

DH has been having a lot of shoulder and back pain for a couple of months. He has seen the doctor who said it was muscular and was recommended to go down the physiotherapy route. He's had a course of appointments, privately, but although it has helped, he's still not right. What is the difference between this and osteopathy? Should we be looking into this?

moleswife Mon 10-Feb-25 09:05:55

Further to Lovetopaint's comment, I went on various occasions to a School of Osteopathy - this has a nu.ber of advantages like a much cheaper charge, very good attention, the double benefit of the student (in the last year or two of training) and their senior teacher who it was interesting to listen to with their questions of the student and the process of diagnosis and treatment. A very positive experience.

Wyllow3 Tue 30-Dec-25 00:51:17

Please don't totally give up yoga because a clearly inadequate practitioner told you so.

what does he know about yoga? He may have an image of the extreme forms of yoga or the sort of yoga you'd find in a class with lots of young people in,

Yes give up yoga exercises that are weight bearing on that area or strain it, but there is a lot you can do on your back lying down or seated that keep other parts of your body as mobile and flexible as possible and the muscles strong, for example in your upper body, neck, head, hands, arms.

I'm a yoga teacher and have done yoga 50 years next spring and have used it to heal quite serious injuries as I have one leg shorter than the other leading to long term back, knee and ankle problems. Yoga has multiple benefits.

It depends how long you have done yoga whether you can go it alone or need an experienced teacher, but you can't go wrong really if you stick to chair yoga and avoid any parts of it that would strain your groin area.

Calendargirl Tue 30-Dec-25 08:28:16

Reported.

Liloldlady Tue 30-Dec-25 09:07:48

Has anyone used an infra red device on their knees? I had three sleepless nights over the Christmas due to an arthritic knee. My daughter had been given an infra red mask to hopefully keep her wrinkles at bay (!). I tried it on my knee for ten minutes and had a painless night, and have been virtually pain free since.
Discovered you can buy knee braces with infra red so, before I do, I want to be sure that it will actually work. Can get devices for hips and even one for pushing up your nose to help with sinus problems, though would be dubious about using that! Any experiences anyone?

Wyllow3 Tue 30-Dec-25 09:22:31

Calendargirl

Reported.

Calendergirl, I've been a gransnetter for neatly 3 years now and have mentioned I am a Qualified Yoga Teacher quite a number of times and yes have done it since I was 24,

but the context is that if I offer a bit of advice, which I have on specifics,

I want people to know that I'm coming from a place where I do know what I'm talking about is all it is!

As at our ages doing any exercise has to be carefully thought through.

As I do at the gym, I share the bits and bobs that might be helpful when people ask me for free of course?

Did you think I was advertising for goodness sake?

Wyllow3 Tue 30-Dec-25 09:38:09

perhaps to was the osteo post above that seemed to be advertising as it gives a reference to a specific place? Except its in New Zealand.?

HelterSkelter1 Tue 30-Dec-25 09:41:23

Wyllow3. I think it was the post which revived tbis old thread from last February. The scammers seem to be on the move today. I have reported one similar post this morning.
Beware of old threads

Calendargirl Tue 30-Dec-25 09:52:27

Wyllow3

It was not your post I was reporting, it was the RunningOsteo one.

Apologies if you thought it related to you, they have revived other osteo threads also.

I assume GN will delete them, not yours obviously.