New Zealand

Philip Bayliss, Osteopath @ St Albans, Christchurch

43 Thames Street, St Albans, Christchurch, 8013, New Zealand

Phone: 0.3 3.56 .1353

http://christchurchosteopathy.co.nz

Email - Not Available

About Philip Bayliss, Osteopath @ St Albans, Christchurch

ACC provider, 24 years’ experience, UK trained, some of the lowest osteopath fees in Christchurch.

The text below has a full description of Philips' training and experience, a description of osteopathy and osteopath treatment, and information about ACC, Philips' fees, directions to St Albans Osteopathy, Christchurch, plus information on headaches & migraines, pregnancy, babies, children, seniors, and sports injuries. Following these are a brief history and the principles of osteopathy. More details and photos are on the personal website of Philip Bayliss, Osteopath (Christchurch), there is a link a few lines above.

Philip trained at the British School of Osteopathy, the oldest and largest osteopath training establishment in Europe, graduating in 1986. The four year full-time course included the study of anatomy, physiology, pathology, embryology, neurology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, rheumatology and psychology to a similar standard as medical schools plus the principals, theory, techniques and clinical practice of osteopathy. Before graduating as an osteopath, Philip did over 1000 hours of supervised consultations with real patients in the BSO Clinic. While he was a student osteopath, Philip had a special interest in, and did extra clinics in: sports injuries, orthopaedics, pregnancy and the care of babies and children.

Philip has had an interest in naturopathy and holistic medicine since 1975 and often gives nutritional and lifestyle advice to his patients. He became a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher in 1984. He keeps up to date in all aspects of natural medicine by regularly attending conferences, seminars and workshops. He participates in at least 25 hours of osteopath professional development courses every year and holds a current first aid certificate. Philip is a provider of osteopath services to ACC. He is registered with the Osteopathic Council of NZ (OCNZ), and is a member of the Osteopathic Society of NZ (OSNZ) and the leader of the Canterbury peer group of the OSNZ, organising regular courses and meetings in Christchurch for Canterbury osteopaths.

Philip emigrated from the UK to NZ in 1997, and became a New Zealand citizen in 2001. He established St Albans Osteopathy in Christchurch in 2004. He enjoys both the cultural activities available in Christchurch and the beautiful countryside around Christchurch. He is a regular tramper, skier, cyclist and swimmer. Philip is married and is the father of a baby boy.

You will always receive your treatment from Philip himself, and never from a locum osteopath, associate osteopath or junior osteopath. Philip only works at St Albans Osteopathy and is available to personally answer any questions you have. He has some of the lowest fees in Christchurch, with no larger fee for the first consultation.

Osteopath treatment

Philip is highly skilled in diagnosing and treating the underlying causes of pain in the body. At your first consultation, he will take your history and examine you. Philip takes the whole person into account, and you will receive a full assessment, including a biomechanical analysis and any osteopathic, orthopaedic and neurological tests needed. Most back pain, neck pain, limb pain and headaches are due to sprains and dysfunction of joints and muscles. Philip seeks these out by using both observation and a highly developed sense of touch, which enables him to detect the smallest changes in muscular tension and joint mobility. He may refer you directly for an x-ray or an ultrasound scan if this is needed. The results of these investigations will be discussed with you. The underlying causes of your pain are treated, not just "the painful spot". You will receive a full osteopath treatment at your first consultation unless you have a problem that can't be helped by osteopath treatment, in which case you will be referred to a suitable practitioner. Every osteopath treatment is different and is designed specifically for the needs of the patient at that time.

Philip uses a wide range of techniques, including gentle manipulation, cranial osteopathy (cranio-sacral therapy), and soft tissue techniques such as massage, fascial release and muscle-energy, in order to optimise the functioning of the body and enable the innate self-healing ability of the body to do its work. All the osteopath techniques that Philip uses are gentle and are never painful or frightening. Philip may give advice on exercises, posture, diet and home remedies to help you manage pain, speed recovery and to avoid future problems. This caring and holistic approach to treatment can help you and your family achieve the highest possible level of health and well-being at any time of life.

You are welcome to bring your own support person or translator. Sometimes a patient may be asked if they would mind removing an item of clothing to allow visual examination and hands on treatment. Underwear is never removed, and if you would rather not remove any item, please mention it. This is never a problem, and it is always still possible to receive effective osteopath treatment. Shoes are not worn on the treatment table and head pillows are never used for the lower body. If you have any specific needs because of your culture or beliefs, please mention them.

The number of osteopath treatments someone needs depends on the severity of the injury, the age of the person, whether they have arthritis etc. Most people have between one and six osteopath treatments. Philip will not sign you up to a long course of treatments, ask for payment in advance, try to convince you to have more treatments than you actually need, or scare you with the dire effects of not having osteopath treatment. You can discontinue treatment at any time. People sometimes (but not always) feel a bit worse the day after treatment. Usually this is very mild. Very occasionally it lasts two days. This is due to treatment of inflamed tissues, which is sometimes necessary to obtain normal function and speed up the healing process. Most people feel an improvement from their first osteopath consultation, though sometimes it may take longer.

ACC

You don’t need to have a GP referral to see an osteopath on ACC. An osteopath can help you can make a new ACC claim if you have an injury that is the result of an accident which happened within the last year. ACC contributes to the cost of osteopath treatment of everyone, of any age, both working and not working, for all injuries that result from an accident that occurred at work, at home, playing sports or driving. The accident must involve an external force or resistance. This can include road traffic accidents, sports injuries, carrying something, lifting, pushing or pulling something, or falling and hitting something or something hitting you. ACC does not cover bending or twisting if no external force or resistance is involved, even if the injury occurred at work. If ACC accepts your claim, they will normally part-pay for a maximum of 16 osteopath treatments for injuries recorded as resulting from the accident. ACC does not fully fund osteopath treatment, so a top-up payment is payable by the patient. You must start your osteopath treatment within one year of the accident date, and complete your osteopath treatments within 52 weeks of your first osteopath treatment. If ACC declines your claim, or declines to pay for treatment on an existing claim, you will then be liable to pay the difference between the ACC top-up payment and the private fee of any osteopath treatments that you have had. If you are making a new ACC claim, you may wish to wait until you have heard from ACC before you have further osteopath treatment.

If your injury is work related, please let your osteopath know whether your employer is an 'accredited employer' in the ACC Partnership Programme (these are all large companies). This means that they take responsibility for their employees' work injury claims. If you don't know, please ask your employer. If they are, you will need to provide your osteopath with contact details for both treatment approvals and invoicing. Accredited employers (or their insurance companies) usually allow fewer osteopath treatments than ACC does, for similar injuries. It is an OSH requirement that if you have an injury at work, that you should complete an incident report at your work place.

A Brief History and The Principals of Osteopathy

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, an American medical doctor and surgeon, founded the first osteopath school - the American School of Osteopathy (now called the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine) in Missouri in 1892. The first professor of physiology at the ASO was Dr John Martin Littlejohn. He went on and established the British School of Osteopathy in 1917, where he taught until he passed away in 1947. Osteopaths in New Zealand are regulated by the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCAA), the same law that regulates all health professionals, including medical doctors. The OCNZ was instituted by the HPCAA to regulate the osteopathic profession. The only osteopathy course accredited by the OCNZ is that of UNITEC. The other pathways to registration in NZ are via examination (for graduates of overseas osteopathy courses), or via the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (for osteopaths registered in Australia).

Osteopaths are primary healthcare practitioners with a holistic approach, who emphasize the role of the musculoskeletal system in obtaining optimum health and in the treatment of disease, by the application of the principals of osteopathy and the use a range of manual and physical treatment interventions. In the 19th century A. T. Still described four principals of osteopathy (the body is a unit, structure governs function, the medicine chest within & the rule of the artery reigns supreme). There are many updated versions. The version by Philip Bayliss is:

1. A human being is a multi-levelled open system (body, emotions, mind & spirit), with a continuous transfer of information, energy and material between the human being and the external environment. Of importance within a human being is the arrangement of the constituent parts, how they influence each other, and how they integrate into the whole.

2. The physical body is comprised of multiple interrelated and integrated biological systems, in all of which structure and function are reciprocally and mutually interdependent.

3. Through complex mechanisms and systems the physical body is self-regulating and self-healing in the face of stressors (including biomechanical, infectious, psychological and environmental factors). If the body cannot eliminate or compensate for a stress or its adaptive capacity is overwhelmed, disease may ensue in one or more systems.

4. Free movement of blood and lymph are essential for good health and recovery from injury.

5. Optimum function and health of all body systems are dependent upon the unimpeded conduction of nerves and the correct level of facilitation of motor, sensory and autonomic pathways in the spinal cord.

The principals of osteopathy help to give an understanding of the processes by which osteopath treatment often result in such remarkable improvements in health and well-being.

Osteopath treatment is very safe and highly effective, and is supported by evidence in peer reviewed medical literature, the latest being the United Kingdom Back Pain Exercise And Manipulation (UK BEAM) trial, published in the British Medical Journal. Osteopathy is complementary to modern western medicine and other systems of health care such as traditional Chinese medicine, Indian ayurvedic medicine, western herbal medicine, homoeopathy and massage therapy.

Headaches and migraines

99% of headaches are cervicogenic headaches, tension headaches or migraines. Cervicogenic headaches are due to sprains and dysfunction of the joints between the cervical vertebrae causing excess muscle tension. These muscles attach to the membranes of the skull causing a headache. Tension headaches are due to stress causing the muscles of the neck to contract. This increase in pressure often causes joints of the cervical spine with sub-clinical strains to become inflamed. Osteopath tratment is very effective at resolving the joint strains and dysfunction and relieving the tight muscles of cevicogenic and tension headaches. The osteopath techniques that Philip uses are very gentle and precise and never involve a sudden twisting of the neck. A migraine is caused by a disturbance in the blood flow to the brain. The cause of this disturbed blood flow can be cervicogenic, be due to tension, or be biochemical (this includes food sensitivities). Osteopath treatment can help relieve migraines, whatever the cause. Osteopathy can be helpful at preventing cervicogenic headaches and migraines.

Pregnancy

Osteopath treatment is possible at all stages of pregnancy, in the position that is most comfortable. The techniques Philip uses during pregnancy are totally safe for your baby. Changes in weight distribution and posture together with softening of ligaments caused by pregnancy hormones can make joints more susceptible to strains. This can cause pain in the low back, buttocks, groins, legs, ribcage or upper back. Also, childbirth itself often causes lumbar and pelvic strains especially with an epidural and/or an assisted delivery. Feeding and carrying the baby can cause strains. The good news is that all these problems respond very well to osteopathic tratment! Philip is very experienced in treating women when pregnant and after childbirth, and uses very gentle techniques. There is absolutely no danger to the baby, and in fact osteopath treatment when pregnant may aid the childbirth.

Babies

Osteopath treatment is useful for problems such as colic, constant screaming, reflux, constipation, feeding difficulties or a flat or distorted head. Philip can check if your baby has any pressure in the head, or strain in the neck or back, or tension in the diaphragm, and he can help reduce irritability of the nervous system. It is highly recommended that you take your baby to an osteopath if your baby should have a fall and is distressed afterwards. Many parents choose to have an osteopath give their baby a post-natal check-up. Osteopathy is complementary to conventional medicine. Babies and children should have a medical diagnosis and treatment alongside osteopath treatment.

Children

Children can have many of the injuries that adults have, and a few specific to children. Children frequently sprain a ligament or joint when playing. Untreated childhood sprains can lead to osteo-arthritis and chronic pain later in life. Growing is usually a pain free process, and 'growing pains' respond well to osteopath treatment, as does scoliosis or curvature of the spine. Osteopath treatment can help glue ear and ear infections by improving the drainage of fluid through the Eustachian tube. Osteopathy can't cure asthma, but it can help sufferers’ breath more easily. Children under 16 must be accompanied either by their parent or their caregiver (who must be at least 18 years old).

Seniors

Seniors also benefit from osteopath treatment. Often symptoms are attributed to arthritis or the aging process and go untreated, but they can usually be helped with osteopathy. Osteo arthritis is usually thought or as wear and tear of the joints, but this is not the whole story. Often people have a lot of wear and tear in their joints, but no pain. Then they strain some part of their body, have an x-ray, and are told that they have arthritis and that nothing can be done except take drugs. However, if they had had an x-ray prior to the strain or accident, when they had no symptoms, it would have looked exactly the same. The fact is, it is much easier to strain a worn joint, and it often needs a very skilled practitioner to help them recover. This is where a skilled and experienced osteopath comes in. Philip uses gentle techniques suitable for the elderly to ease these joints back to normal function and relieve tight and aching muscles. He can also advise you on nutritional supplements that may be beneficial for arthritis.

Sports Injuries

Osteopath treatment is invaluable both in treating sports injuries and helping professional and amateur sports people and athletes obtain peak performance and prevent injuries. Osteopaths take the whole body into consideration, obtaining optimal alignment and mobility of all joint and the correct muscle balance, which are coupled with both strengthening and stretching exercises that are specific to the persons sport and body type. Philip used to work at the British School of Osteopathy Sports Clinic where, amongst others, he treated Olympic athletes and professional sports persons.

Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday

9.00am to 12.30pm

2.30pm to 6.00pm

After hour emergencies are available subject to the availability of the osteopath.

Phone number: (03) 356 1353

Consultation Fees

St Albans Osteopathy has some of the most competitive fees in Christchurch, with no extra charge for the initial consultation.

The practice does not have EFTPOS or credit card facilities. Please pay by either cash, cheque or internet banking at the time of your appointment.

Fees (when paid at the time of your appointment)

Adult Children aged 16 and

Full time students under 22

Private consultation $60 $50

ACC top-up payment $30 $25

There is a surcharge when the fee is not paid at the time of your appointment of $5.

Late cancellations and missed appointments

Please give at least 24 hours notice if you wish to cancel or reschedule. There is no fee for rescheduling within 24 hours, but please help others by giving as much notice as possible. If you miss an appointment or cancel with less than 24 hours notice, there is a charge of $30. If you reschedule an appointment at less than 24 hours notice and then subsequently cancel it, there will be a charge of $30.

Private medical insurance

Most policies cover osteopath treatment. If you are not sure if your policy does, please ask your insurance company. If your policy does cover osteopath treatment, you should pay the fee for your osteopath treatment at the time of your appointment. You will be given a receipt, which you can then present to your insurance company for a refund.

WINZ beneficiaries

WINZ may be able to help you with the cost of osteopath treatment. Please talk to WINZ about it. Philip will help you with any documentation required. You should pay the fee for your osteopath treatment at the time of your appointment. You will be given a receipt, which you can then give to WINZ.

Location

Please see the map below. Thames Street runs between Innes Road and Westminster Street, three streets to the east of Cranford Street. Number 43 is opposite Norah Street.