Procedure for an osteopathic consultation

On average, an osteopathic consultation lasts 45 minutes, but this can vary from 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will depend mainly on the reason(s) for your consultation, but also on how your file is compiled, which is very complete in osteopathy.

It is often accepted that a consultation for acute pain (which has been present for a short time) will normally require between 1 and 2 sessions. On the other hand, a chronic reason for consultation (one that has been present for a long time or is recurrent) is likely to require a slightly higher number of sessions. In all cases, sessions should generally be spaced 2 to 3 weeks apart, to give your body time to adapt to the treatment and “rebalance” itself.

Anamnesis

  • The first stage of the osteopathic consultation is called the anamnesis or “interrogation”. This will give you an accurate picture of your state of health and pain. To do this, your osteopath will ask you about your medical, surgical, traumatic or family history, and will carry out a complete review of your reason for consultation so that any underlying pathology that should be examined by your doctor can be identified. If you have brought any additional tests (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, laboratory tests, etc.) or prescriptions with you, he will examine them.

Differential diagnosis/Clinical examination

  • The second step is the postural examination, which is a visual assessment of your posture, in standing, sitting and lying positions, enabling your osteopath to identify any areas of tension and your postural habits. You may be asked to put on your underwear for a better assessment of your spine and any possible compensation of your body. This is followed by passive and active movements as far as possible without straining while standing and sitting (this helps determine the source of your pain and therefore the appropriate treatment technique(s)). During the clinical examination, your osteopath may take your blood pressure, check your reflexes or perform other neurological tests. If your pathology does not fall within the scope of osteopathy, he or she may also make a diagnosis of exclusion. He or she will then refer you to the most appropriate specialist (GP, specialist, emergency department, etc.). Then comes the osteopathic examination, during which your therapist will carry out a number of mobility tests on your entire skeleton, as well as on your visceral and cranial systems. The aim is to carry out a complete assessment and link any mobility restrictions he may have found with your reason for consultation.

Osteopathic treatment

  • The 3rd stage of the osteopathic consultation corresponds to treatment or “normalization”, during which your osteopath will correct your mobility restrictions by mobilizing the joints or viscera that need it. To achieve this, your therapist will be able to use a wide range of techniques (osteo-articular, functional, cranial, visceral, muscular…). Once the treatment has been carried out, your osteopath will check the impact of his treatment by verifying the mobility of the areas he has manipulated.

Advice

  • Step 4 is a phase of advice, mostly on health and diet, but also demonstrations of stretching, for example. Once this last step has been completed, your therapist will make sure that everything goes smoothly, and will do his or her utmost to prevent any side effects during the consultation. Indeed, throughout the session, we require a response from your body, and this can tire you out. This reaction is perfectly legitimate and, in most cases, passes very quickly. However, the feeling of fatigue may persist for a few days, as may the pain, which may still be present or even slightly increased immediately after the session. This sometimes happens when we release tissues, muscles or joints that have been in “dysfunction” for a long time. Pain usually subsides within 72 hours of the treatment, and a noticeable improvement is often felt within the first week. That said, pain is often reduced by the end of the session and mobility improved. Your osteopath will take the time to explain what he or she has done, but will also inform you of any reactions you may have after your session.

Fees / Reimbursement

Fees

  • In-office adult consultation: €85

  • In-office consultation for children (under 12): €75

  • Post-natal consultation(Mother + Infant): €150

  • Home consultation: €110

Refund

As osteopathic procedures are not covered by the Caisse Nationale de Santé (CNS), and in response to growing patient demand, many complementary health insurance companies reimburse all or part of the osteopathic consultation fee. As the amount of this reimbursement varies greatly from one mutual insurance company to another, and also from one contract to another, we advise you to contact your complementary health insurance company directly for more information.