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Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions are frequently asked by our patients and are provided for your reference.
If you have a question that is not addressed here, please call 01923 268787 and a member of our compassionate team will be happy to answer, or explain our treatments, services and products in more detail.
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment designed to provide pain relief for the body’s structural and mechanical problems.
A gentle form of treatment, osteopathy can benefit most types of aches, pains and strains in people of every age. It is a natural therapy, which combines the two oldest forms of treatment known to man – massage and manipulation.
Physiotherapy uses physical approaches to promote, maintain and restore human function and movement.
Physiotherapy treats injury and disease by correcting and improving the body’s own natural healing mechanisms, using a variety of manual hands-on techniques and electro-therapy, to help patients achieve their treatment and rehabilitation goals.
Abotts Langley Clinic provides treatment and services for patients suffering from the following conditions and symptoms:
- Generalised aches and pains
- Joint pains including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core osteoarthritis treatments and exercise
- Arthritic pain
- General, acute & chronic backache, back pain (not arising from injury or accident)
- Uncomplicated mechanical neck pain (as opposed to neck pain following injury i.e. whiplash
- Headache arising from the neck (cervicogenic) / migraine prevention
- Frozen shoulder/ shoulder and elbow pain/ tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences
- Circulatory problems
- Cramp
- Digestion problems
- Joint pains, lumbago
- Sciatica
- Muscle spasms
- Neuralgia
- Fibromyalgia
- Inability to relax
- Rheumatic pain
- Minor sports injuries and tensions
Abbots Langley Clinic offers a comprehensive whole-body range of treatments, therapies and services for patients experiencing pain or discomfort. Your health is our priority, from your initial enquiry, through assessment and treatment, to your continued well-being.
All of our practitioners are highly qualified in their specific clinical areas and continuously train to expand their skills as healthcare professionals, ensuring that your health is always our top priority.
We appreciate that every patient and their needs are unique. We listen to each patient empathetically and examine carefully to ensure that our diagnosis and recommendations are precise. During your first session, your Osteopath or Physiotherapist Consultant will ask pertinent questions about the reason for your visit, including details about your medical history, lifestyle and symptoms, and conduct an initial examination of the area(s) of your body causing discomfort or pain. This information will provide your consultant with a broad understanding of the problem and help to diagnose and suggest an appropriate treatment plan. In some instances, it might be necessary for your consultant to examine other areas of your body to check for connected issues (for example, a difference in leg length might result in compensations in the upper back which could result in neck pain), and occasionally we may request additional blood tests or scans to provide a more accurate diagnosis, or to diagnose a condition that we are unable to treat and refer you to your GP or other appropriate healthcare professional.
Please be aware that in some instances it may be necessary for you to remove parts of your clothing, which might mean undressing down to your underwear. We appreciate this can be challenging for some patients, so we suggest that you bring a pair of shorts and loose-fitting t’shirt to your sessions. If, at any time during your session(s), you feel uncomfortable for any reason, you have the right to ask your consultant to stop without prejudicing your future treatment. Your comfort, as well as your health, is our priority!
Throughout your first (and any subsequent) session, your consultant will explain everything to you in plain English and answer any questions you might have. Before we start treatment, your consultant will provide you with information and a comprehensive understanding of the diagnosis and suggested treatment plan, which will include all anticipated costs and the number of sessions you will likely require. All clinical notes are retained by us confidentially in compliance with the Data Protection Act, 1998 however, you may request a copy for your own records at any time (an administration fee may be charged for this service). We might ask your permission to start treatment during your first session however, in all cases we will require you to sign a consent form.
At the end of your first visit, you will have a comprehensive understanding of your condition (unless further tests are required), our suggested treatment plan, associated costs and the likely number of visits required to complete the treatment goal.
Although Osteopathic and Physiotherapy treatment is predominently a very gentle process, you might experience mild discomfort with some techniques we use. Your consultant will always tell you if you might experience any discomfort in advance of applying certain techniques, and it is important that you tell your consultant about any pain or discomfort during treatment. If pain or discomfort persists after a session, please call 01923 268787 for advice.
You may experience mild discomfort with some of the treatment techniques used, but Osteopathic and Physiotherapy treatment is usually a very gentle process. Your osteopath/physiotherapist will let you know if any discomfort is likely and it can be helpful to let them know what you are feeling. If pain persists after treatment, contact your Osteopath/Physiotherapist for advice.
You are welcome to bring someone with you for all or part of your consultation, and all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Our therapists diagnose and treat conditions that occur in the mechanical system due to injury, stress or any other cause, and to ensure that the body is functioning as efficiently as possible. When a person’s structure is in harmony, just like a well-tuned engine, it will function with the minimum of stress and use of energy, leaving more energy available for living.
Our therapists work with their hands, using a combination of soft-tissue massage, gentle circulation and passive mobilisation techniques applied to specific joints. An examination may involve neurological, circulatory or respiratory testing, as well as an assessment of posture and structural state, ultimately leading to a diagnosis and with your consent, a comprehensive treatment plan.
Throughout treatment, your consultant will explain every technique and/or procedure in plain English, and we welcome questions and feedback as part of the process. The majority of patients find our treatments to be gentle however, you may feel a little stiff or sore following a session, which may last up to 72 hours – patients tend to describe these feelings as similar to after exercising. It is also common to feel tired after a session.
All of our treatments are services are designed to restore you to optimum health and welbeing while being mindful of your daily routine during the treatment process. Please call 01923 268787 if you have any questions.
Our therapists are primarily concerned with treating conditions that relate to pain and discomfort however, we extend our interest in continued well-being by improving your body’s overall functionability so that symptoms are much less likely to return in the future.
In some cases, we identify conditions that we cannot treat. In such cases, we will discuss this with you and suggest a more appropriate healthcare professional to provide for your needs.
Some of the conditions that we treat are complex, or patients may have suffered symptoms for sustained periods before seeking treatment with ALC. In such cases, where our agreed treatment plan is to alleviate or significantly reduce immediate pain and/or discomfort, it may be necessary to ‘factor in’ maintenance therapy over a period of time to ensure the diagnosed condition is contained.
Patients with complex conditions may be provided with lifestyle advice and often, simple exercises to do at home to prevent reccurence. It is important to understand that while most conditions can be permanently eradicated, some complex conditions can only be partially relieved or maintained in balance however, we always work with the intention of providing the highest level of care, specific to your needs.
In most cases, we identify complex cases during an intial consultation however, complexities can be detected at any time and we will always provide you with up-to-date information, and suggest changes to your agreed treatment plan as may be required.
If, after treatment concludes, you continue to suffer with symptoms, we may advise you to book a further session to address ongoing pain and/or discomfort, or to progress your case with additional tests to check for any underlying issues that we cannot treat and refer you to an approrpiate healthcare professional.
Osteopathy is the first complementary therapy to have undergone statutory regulation in Parliament, which provides osteopaths a similar status to a doctor or dentist, and provides patients with the equivalent high level of Professional Indemnity protection.
Abbots Langley Clinic is registered with the General Osteopathic Council, Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, and HCPC.
Call 01923 268787 to book an appointment or for advice
Clinic Information
Opening Hours
| Monday – Thursday: | 8:30 am – 6:00 pm |
| Friday: | 8:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Saturday: | 8:30 am – 2:00 pm |
