To be able to judge whether a health treatment is safe and effective, we need evidence. Evidence on a treatment is gathered by conducting fair scientific tests of the treatment.
When we use a treatment and feel better, this can sometimes be because of a phenomenon called the placebo effect, and not because of the treatment itself. To find out more about this, watch a video about the placebo effect.
There is evidence that osteopathy is an effective treatment for persistent lower back pain.
There is limited evidence that osteopathy is an effective treatment for recovery after a hip or knee operation.
There is no good evidence that osteopathy is an effective treatment for conditions for which it is sometimes used. These include:
