Frequently Asked Questions

• You will be asked to sign a consent form before commencing treatment


• You will be asked questions about your personal and family medical history. This will help your osteopath to ensure that the treatment you are given is appropriate to your specific needs


• You will need to answer questions about your complaint. These may include: what makes the pain better or worse, what time of day it hurts, the type of pain (sharp, dull, bruised etc) and intensity of the pain


• Initial examination includes postural analysis, checking movement in joints and assessing muscle tension


• Treatment may include soft tissue, manipulations, joint articulation, cranial. Your osteopath will use the method of treatment you are most comfortable with, and techniques that are most suitable to you and your complaint.


• Initial sessions may take up to an hour, because there is more information to gather. Follow up sessions are thirty minutes

Loose-fitting clothes, preferably not jeans or tight pants. Shorts and a singlet to change into are useful. Although treatment can be performed over clothing, during the initial assessment it is useful to e able to see the spine. You may be asked to expose areas of skin for neurological testing (if necessary) as skin contact is needed.

If you have filled out an ACC form elsewhere, please bring your letter from ACC confirming your claim number and injury date. Also bring any x-rays, scans (with reports) and specialist letters that relate to the area of pain.

The number of treatments required is specific to each person and their particular injury or discomfort. We will give you an estimate of how many treatments we believe you will need during the first consultation.

You will need to check your individual health insurance plan to see if you are covered. Please ask for a GST receipt from us to claim your osteopathic treatment.

People of all ages can benefit from structural and or cranial osteopathic treatments to help with:

• Injury recovery
• Digestive problems
• Back and neck pain
• Arthritis
• Headaches
• Pregnancy related discomfort
• Joint mobility
• Babies (for example ear infections, reflux, colic)

All osteopathic treatment can potentially lead to the short-term exacerbation of symptoms, i.e. it may get worse before it gets better. This is often due to the body’s changing movements – tissue that has been functioning in a limited capacity is suddenly encouraged back to its normal function. The change will likely be positive and sustainable, but because the tissue is not used to it, the new normal movements may cause temporary irritation.

While the chance of an adverse reaction to your treatment is extremely small, it is important that you are fully informed so you can make the best decision for your health.

Aspects of your current health may influence the likelihood of having an adverse effect from treatment, but your osteopath will fully discuss these aspects before commencing treatment. It is essential for the success of your treatment that you fully disclose your medical history during these early discussions.

Everyone has their own story, including injuries, accidents and pain. Imbalances can develop from various sports, occupations and recreations. Because we’re all different, Remuera Osteopaths develops a unique treatment plan based on each patient’s individual information.