Producing Permanent Wellness: A Guide to Maintenance Treatment

Maintenance Treatment is something we Osteopaths recommend as a way of cultivating well-being from within. There are many benefits to continuing treatment after the point where your pain is under control, done properly, maintenance care has the potential to revolutionise your health.

Understanding the Essence of Maintenance Treatment

Osteopathic Maintenance Treatment transcends mere therapeutic intervention; it embodies a philosophy grounded in the belief that the human body possesses an innate ability to heal itself. With ongoing support to help enhance your natural function, maintenance treatment becomes a cornerstone for fostering optimal health.

A ‘Soil & Root’ Approach: How Osteopathy Works

At the heart of Osteopathy lies the conviction that the body operates as a unified entity. You wouldn’t expect your finger to bleed forever if you cut yourself with a knife. The rest of the body is equally able to heal with the right support and care.
Our goal is always to discover the root of the problem, help the body correct it as fast as possible and then keep it there as long as possible. One of Osteopathy’s ‘founding fathers’ – Andrew Taylor Still said:

Find it, Fix it, Leave it alone! (But make sure you find it and fix it first.)

Our experienced practitioners specialise in the gentle manipulations and adjustments central to Osteopathy, striving to restore equilibrium, enhance circulation, and optimise the overall function of the body. We will also, if you wish, help you to understand how what goes into your body will provide the right foundations for long-term health.

Osteopathy’s Key Benefits

1. Pain Relief and Management: You quickly experience a significant reduction in pain and discomfort through targeted Osteopathic interventions.

2. Improved Mobility and Flexibility: Even early on, your range of motion and flexibility improves, paving the way for a more active and fulfilling lifestyle.

3. Stress Reduction and Relaxation: Less pain, better movement, fewer life restrictions means that treatment extends beyond the physical, promoting mental well-being and relaxation.

The Heart of Healing: Osteopathy’s Tailored Approach

We understand that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, Osteopathic treatment embarks on a personalised journey towards health. Our practitioners meticulously assess your unique needs, tailoring each session to address specific concerns and optimise your overall well-being. We are committed to providing you with an individual and effective treatment plan to achieve health and vitality.

At the core of this bespoke health intervention is maintenance care. We see it as ‘Phase 4’ treatment. (Phase 1 addressing pain and inflammation, Phase 2 – Mobility and function and Phase 3 – Building strength into improved function, though phases do overlap to an extent.) It’s another evidence-based foundation of our approach to healthcare. It’s also an area where our understanding and philosophy overlaps significantly with Chiropractors.
Two notable research studies from Scandinavia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31832142/ and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7171853/ elegantly demonstrated the benefits of appropriately spaced maintenance treatment.

“Patients receiving MC (Maintenance Care) had flat pain trajectories around each new treatment period and reported fewer days with pain compared to patients receiving the control intervention {no MC}. The {MC group} reported fewer days with activity limiting pain within each new LBP episode as well as longer total pain-free periods between episodes with a difference of 9.8 weeks (CI 95% 3.3, 16.3) compared to the control group.”

Maintenance treatment led to nearly ten fewer painful weeks in a year compared to not having maintenance treatment. That’s 20% of a year without pain when you care for yourself properly.

Conclusion: Nurturing Health, One Session at a Time

Osteopathic Maintenance Treatment stands as a gateway to health and vitality. By unlocking your body’s inherent ability to heal, you can cultivate a pain-free life of balance, mobility, and overall well-being. We start while you are in pain, provide a pathway to pain-free living and continue to support you to prevent problems recurring.
With a little bit of regular care (the frequency differs for everyone), we can hugely improve your quality of life. Osteopathic Maintenance Treatment reduces the frequency of painful episodes, it makes any episode less painful and shortens the length of each incidence. What’s not to like?

 How to Implement Maintenance Treatment in Your Routine:

• Make an Appointment:
  • Take the first step by booking the consultation where we gather all the information necessary to know what to do to fix you (and always provide some treatment if safe).
• Assessment and Goal Setting:
  • We work with you to identify your specific needs and set health targets and goals.
• Regular Sessions:
  • Commit to regular Osteopathic maintenance treatment as advised by your practitioner.
• Incorporate Healthy Habits:
  • Follow your Osteopath’s recommendations for lifestyle changes and exercises.
• Stay Consistent:
  • Long-term benefits require consistency; stick to your Osteopathic maintenance routine for maximum progress.