Your paperwork
If you have them: recent imaging — X-rays, MRI, CT scans — and a list of any medication you are taking. For a child, their health record.
Your first appointment
What to expect, from booking to the days that follow your session.
Seeing an osteopath for the first time usually raises the same questions: what to bring, what to wear, whether it hurts, and how you will feel afterwards. Here are the answers, in the order they come up.
Before you come
What to bring
Comfortable clothes
Something loose and comfortable, that you can move around in easily.
A few minutes to spare
Enough to arrive without rushing. The session opens with a conversation, and it works better when you have had a moment to settle.
During the session
How it unfolds
Allow between 45 minutes and an hour, in four stages.
1
We talk
Why you came, your medical history, your work, your sleep. The explanation is often somewhere in there.
2
I examine
Mobility testing and palpation, to find what is involved — and to rule out anything that is not for an osteopath to treat.
3
I treat
Techniques chosen for your age and your sensitivity. Nothing abrupt, and nothing without your agreement.
4
We take stock
What I found, what you can do at home, and whether we need to see each other again.
You stay in control. If a technique worries you, say so: there is almost always another way to reach the same result. And if your situation calls for a doctor, I will tell you and point you in the right direction.
Afterwards
The days that follow
Feeling tired or a little achy for 24 to 48 hours is common. That is the body adjusting, not a sign that something went wrong.
- Drink more than usual
- Avoid hard exercise on the same day
- Start moving again the next day, gently
The benefit often settles over a few days rather than immediately. If a new, sharp pain appears, call me.
With a baby
If you are bringing your child
Bring what you need to feed and change them: a settled baby is far easier to examine, and feeding during the session has never bothered me.
- Their comforter or dummy, if they have one
- Clothes that open easily
- Their health record
Techniques used with babies are exclusively gentle: light pressure and slow movement, usually with your baby in your arms.
Practical questions
The rest, briefly
Do I need a referral ?
No. You can book directly, without seeing your doctor first.
How do I pay ?
At the end of the session. Card, cash and cheque at the French practices; card and cash in Luxembourg. You receive an invoice for your insurer — more on payment and insurance.
What if I need to cancel ?
Online or by phone, at least 24 hours ahead, so the slot can go to someone else.
Will I need to come back ?
For a recent problem, one to three sessions is usually enough. We discuss it at the end of the appointment, and I never book follow-ups that are not warranted.
A question before booking ?
Book online at any time, or call me if you would rather talk it through first.