Does Osteopathy hurt and are the clicks safe?

What does treatment feel like?
The majority of your Osteopathic treatment will be pain free and actually quite relaxing! Techniques such as massage, articulation, stretching, and manipulation are, at worst, mildly uncomfortable to receive. Approximately half of patients may experience a little post-treatment soreness lasting up to 48 hours before going on to feel better.

What causes that clicking sound?
Spoiler alert! It’s not your bones that do the cracking. The spinal column has paired facet joints on the upper and lower surface of each vertebra that are wrapped in a water balloon-like capsule containing synovial fluid. Your Osteopath may need to manipulate one of more of your facet joints (sometimes called a correction, adjustment, or HVT/HVLA) to help ease you out of pain.  The most prevalent theory regarding what causes the ‘click’ is that the manipulation stretches the capsule, increasing its volume which, in turn decreases the pressure within it as gas leaves the synovial fluid. Similar to when one opens a can of soft drink (which we hope you don’t do that often!). Other theories which try to account for the popping noise caused by manipulation include; the recoil of the capsule, or the inception of a bubble within the synovial fluid.

How safe is it?
The evidence pooled from across multiple professions (Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, and Osteopathy) demonstrate that serious side effects from manipulation are very rare but can cause long term damage. Examples of serious reactions are; herniation of degenerated discs, stroke, nerve damage affecting bladder/bowel function, and even death. Rates of reactions across manual therapy are estimated below: 
 
Common (mild) reaction = 1 in 2 (upto 48 hrs of soreness)
Uncommon (moderate) reaction = 1 in 100 (symptoms lasting more than a few days)
Rare (severe) reaction = 1 in 36,000
 
Osteopathic manipulation is very safe to receive and serious complications are very rare. Patients are screened prior to having any manipulation to determine if it is suitable for them. For some patients, for example those with osteoporosis or cancer, it may not be advisable. At The Newtown Clinic you are in safe hands. We use manipulation regularly and have had ZERO severe reactions to treatments.