How Long Does It Take to Get Better After Osteopathic Treatment?

As much as we all love a quick fix (especially where physical pain is concerned), unfortunately osteopathic treatment isn’t a one-stop solution to curing your aches and pains overnight. 

While many people notice drastic positive changes in their various musculoskeletal conditions after seeking osteopathic treatment, asking how long it will take is a bit like asking “how long is a piece of string?”. Everyone’s body is different. 

However, the ballpark recovery period tends to be between six to eight weeks. In the points below, you’ll find some contributing factors that might accelerate or slow your recovery. If you are wondering “why do I feel tired after osteopathy”, the following points might help to answer your question.

You might recover slower if you:

• Sustained a particularly nasty injury or trauma – poor workplace ergonomics might not take as long to recover from as a jarring sports-related injury, for example.

• Have had the physical condition for an extended period of time before seeking osteopathic treatment.

• Are slightly older. Unfortunately, this is just a fact of life – younger people have the advantage of recovering from injuries and physical ailments faster. However, consistent treatment will certainly help you overcome the issue in time, regardless of your age.

You might recover faster if you:

• Rest a lot (especially after treatment). Your body needs time to heal after an injury, and working yourself into the ground won’t help with your recovery.

• Apply ice to the affected areas every hour or so, for a maximum of five minutes. This will help to reduce inflammation and swelling.

• Stress less. Easier said than done, we know, but reduced emotional stress does wonders for accelerating tissue recovery and can even help to strengthen your pain receptors.

• Do the prescribed exercises. Osteopathic treatment can help you recover, sure – but this is a weekly treatment, whereas daily exercises will contribute to restoring your physical health on a day-to-day basis throughout the week.

• Eat well. Give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to regenerate cells and repair damaged tissues.

How often should you see an osteopath, and how long should you rest afterwards?

At the end of the day, the answer to this question differs for everyone. However, osteopaths are university educated, government-registered professionals who undergo regular annual training to ensure we stay at the forefront of the industry. 

Every treatment session gives your chosen osteopath a stronger insight to your specific condition, and your body’s required recovery time. They will provide personalised advice on how frequently you should be scheduling osteopath treatments, as well as guidance on what you can do to accelerate this recovery time moving forward.

Book an appointment with the registered osteopaths at Essendon Natural Health

If you feel that you would benefit from tailored osteopathic treatment at our beautiful heritage-listed clinic in Essendon, don’t hesitate to book an appointment online or call 03 9337 8572 to speak with our friendly reception team. We also provide naturopathy, acupuncture, nutritional medicine advice and other natural health treatments.

Robert Gentile

B.C.M (Hons), C.Clin.Prac (China), C.Toyohari. Registered Acupuncturist and Herbalist. Integrative Natural Medicine Practitioner.

Robert is a passionate and warm practitioner who has an extensive knowledge of integrative and functional natural medicine. He is down to earth and has an interest in organic foods, gardening and sustainable living. With over a decade of experience, he is renowned for being very thorough by both fellow practitioners and patients alike.