Each Osteopath has attended an Osteopathy school, full time or part time depending on whether or not they have a previous health qualification, but each with a program more or less homologated to the others. Most of the professionals then dedicated themselves to continued training, each in the sector of their greatest interest.
We often hear it said that the type of approach to the patient's problem does not matter if what is put at the center is the patient and if there is an understanding of pain and dysfunction and how these problems can be influenced. But what does all this mean?
Imagining yourself as an observer in a room full of therapists treating patients all with the same problem, you might see hundreds of therapists using different modalities and submodalities, and hundreds of patients with almost identical neck problems.
The clinical experience of each patient and the approach method chosen by the therapist is the main factor differentiating the actions of the therapists' hands. There are some differences between manual application methods, but can the body be that different?
Science teaches us that each patient is completely different from another, although they all tell a story of causal factors, both environmental and tissue-specific. A highly unique evaluation process is performed on each of them, which aims to selectively identify the target tissue, and each of these requires a specific approach.
The fundamental part is listening to the patient when questioning him on elements regarding the reason for the consultation and the general clinical history.
This phase also manages to determine whether the patient has particular preferences and/or therapeutic prospects.
Once the data has been collected, the professional organization must provide the EBP overlapping circle application system, in which each of these circles represents one of the following parameters:
1. The evidence actually published (what is present in the literature)
2. the doctor's experience in applying the work derived from the tests
3. The patient's perspectives and preferences
At this point it is possible to outline what is the best approach for each patient.
Of the three points listed, the first is certainly the most important because it lays the foundation for working on something scientifically tested and proven. Experience is certainly another fundamental element to validate or refute what is present in the literature and measure what is written about one's therapeutic abilities. Lastly, it is important, but no less important than the other points, to listen to what patients think about their problem and how we are treating them. They are fully active participants in the therapeutic act.
Is the sensation we are creating with a certain pressure positive? Is useful? Is there something about what we are doing that is annoying and could be harmful?
Whether you are an Osteopath, Physiotherapist or Speech Therapist, the approach presented is one that offers a patient-centred perspective.
It is very important to honor the evidence-based model while respecting the patient's active role in determining their own care.
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