Philip studied at the British School of Osteopathy, the oldest and largest osteopathic college or course outside of the USA, 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, Philip had a special interest in, and did extra clinics in: sports injuries, orthopaedics, pregnancy and the care of babies and children.

Philip has undertaken postgraduate studies at leading osteopathy colleges in advanced manipulative techniques, functional technique, neuromuscular technique, fascial release technique, harmonic technique, muscle energy technique, clinical kinesiology, activator methods, visceral osteopathy and cranial osteopathy (the Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation course at the BSO). Every year he participates in more than 35 hours of osteopaths professional development courses. He also keeps up to date with other aspects of natural medicine by regularly attending conferences, seminars and workshops.

 

Philip is registered with the Osteopathic Council of New Zealand and is a member of the New Zealand Pain Society and the Osteopathic Society of New Zealand, regularly attending peer group meetings in Christchurch. 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. 

From 1986 to 1997 Philip was the principal osteopath at Agincourt Osteopathy in the historic market town of Monmouth, Wales, where he was known as "Bayliss the Bones". He emigrated from the UK to New Zealand in 1997, and became a NZ citizen in 2001. Philip established Wanganui East Osteopathy in Wanganui in 1997 and St Albans Osteopathy in Christchurch in 2004. St Albans Osteopathy is located in a beautiful house in a quiet road, and has some of the lowest fees in Christchurch, with no larger fee for the first consultation. Philip enjoys both the cultural activities available in Christchurch and activities such as tramping, skiing, cycling and swimming in the beautiful Canterbury countryside.

Definition of Osteopathy

A definition of osteopathy is: "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 dysfunction, pain and disease, by the application of the principals of osteopathy, together with a highly developed skill in palpation and the use a range of manual and physical treatment interventions" (Philip Bayliss).

Osteopath treatment 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.

Osteopath treatment

Osteopaths are highly skilled in diagnosing and giving manual therapy or treatment to the underlying causes of pain in the body. At your first consultation Philip will take your history and examine you. He 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  the spine, joints and muscles. Chronic pain can involve 'tissue memory' in which trauma leaves an impression in the tissues and the nervous system arranges itself around that impression. Philip uses observation and his highly developed sense of touch to seek out the smallest changes in tissue memory, muscular tension and joint mobility. You will be referred for an x-ray or an ultrasound scan if needed. The results of these investigations will be discussed with you. 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.  You will always receive your treatment from Philip himself, and never from locum osteopaths, associate osteopaths or junior osteopaths with little or no experience. Philip only works at St Albans Osteopathy and is available to personally answer any questions you have.

 

The underlying causes of your pain are treated, not just "the painful spot". Philip uses a wide range of techniques, including gentle manipulation, cranial osteopathy (cranio-sacral therapy), and soft tissue techniques such as massage in order to optimise the functioning of the body and enable the innate self-healing ability of the body to do its work. Philip sometimes uses electro-acupuncture to help reduce muscle spasm and inflammation (without the pain and of infection risk from using needles). All the techniques that Philip uses are gentle and are never painful or frightening. Every osteopath treatment is different and is designed specifically for the needs of the patient at that time. 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.


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. 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 consultation, though sometimes it may take longer. 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. 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 difference between osteopathy and chiropractic  

Chiropractic was started in the US in the 1890's by a layman called D.D. Palmer, who may have been a student of Dr. A.T. Still (the founder of osteopathy). In the US chiropractic has remained an alternative therapy, while osteopathy integrated into the conventional health care system a century ago. Osteopathy went from the US to the UK in 1917, where it developed as a distinctive British health primary care profession and then on to New Zealand. The first full time training in New Zealand started in 1999 (there was a previous part-time training by ISOP). Chiropractic went more recently from the US to Australia and New Zealand, and tends to have more American ethics and practice management. In the nineteenth century osteopaths specialised in 'long-lever' manipulative techniques, and chiropractors in 'short-lever' techniques, but neither profession can claim exclusivity of a technique, and it is now common for osteopaths to use techniques that were once exclusively chiropractic, and for chiropractors to use techniques that were exclusively osteopathic. It is illegal in New Zealand for anyone other than an osteopath, chiropractor, physiotherapists or medical doctor to perform a high velocity manipulative technique to anyone's neck (Philip Bayliss very rarely uses these type of manipulations). In the nineteenth century both professions were quite dogmatic, with osteopaths proclaiming that the rule of the artery reigns supreme and chiropractors that the rule of the nerve reigns supreme. Present day osteopaths recognise that both the nerve supply and circulation are vitally important, though modern chiropractic literature puts the emphasis almost entirely on nerves. Chiropractors put a greater emphasis on alignment than osteopaths (who concentrate more on restoring normal function to all tissues and joints, including the spine). Chiropractors base their diagnosis on X-rays (while osteopaths base their diagnosis on palpation or feeling the body and observation), and chiropractors treat mainly (and often only) by high velocity joint manipulation, while osteopaths usually use a combination of manipulation and a variety of soft tissue techniques. Chiropractors will often see their patients more frequently than osteopaths, with shorter appointments. There are exceptions, if you are not sure, please ask your practitioner.

The difference between osteopathy and physiotherapy

Physiotherapy has had a long association with the medical profession. Until relatively recently physiotherapists worked under the direction of doctors, though today many are independent practitioners. This close historical association is the reason that some GP's favour referring to physiotherapists. Physiotherapists are trained to treat a wider range of conditions than osteopaths (who specialise mainly in pain in the musculoskeletal system), such as rehabilitation following surgery or spinal cord injury, rehabilitation following stroke, rehabilitation for those with congenital anomalies, draining thick secretions or pus out of the chests of those with cystic fibrosis or bronchietasis etc. Consequently their basic training does not go into such depth in diagnosing the underlying causes of musculoskeletal pain as does that of osteopaths. Frequently musculoskeletal pain sufferers visiting a physiotherapist may have no hands-on treatment at all. Soft tissue techniques may be limited to the basic massage moves and many physiotherapists never manipulate. Those that do, may manipulate only the 'painful spot', unlike osteopaths who treat the underlying causes and may avoid the 'painful spot', if it is contraindicated by their differential diagnosis. Instead a physiotherapist may give generic exercises, tape or splint the affected part and/or use ultrasound.

To download a free PDF file comparing the effectiveness of osteopath treatment with other modalities such as physiotherapy, chiropractic and acupuncture, please click on the link below:

The Principals of Osteopathy

The original four principals of osteopathy described by A. T. Still (the founder of osteopathy) in 1874 were: the body is a unit, structure governs function, the medicine chest within and the rule of the artery reigns supreme. They have been updated many times. A recent version by Philip Bayliss is:

1. A person is a multi-levelled open system (body, emotions, mind & spirit), with a continuous transfer of information, energy and material between the person and the external environment. Of importance within a person is the arrangement of the constituent parts of this multi-levelled open sytem, 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 optimum health and recovery from disease and 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 provides the scientific and philosphical basis of osteopath treatment and helps to give an understanding of the processes by which osteopathic treatment often result in such remarkable improvements in health and well-being.

Research

Osteopath treatment is very safe and highly effective, and is supported by evidence in peer reviewed medical literature, such as the "United Kingdom Back Pain Exercise And Manipulation" (UK BEAM) trial, published in the British Medical Journal, and the USA "Osteopathic manipulative treatment for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials" published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

 

Copyright © 2010 Philip Bayliss, Osteopath (Christchurch)