Treatment

What to Expect

Our office in South Austin is designed to be a calming, healing space for you to receive personalized, compassionate, holistic medical care that improves your life.

100% of your visit will be spent one on one with Dr. Lytle-Vieira, our board certified osteopathic doctor. Only one patient is in the office at a time. We do not double book appointments. And, the doctor runs on time!

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing such as sweat pants or yoga/lounge pants to your visits. Please do not wear jeans, a dress, or a skirt.

The first appointment lasts 60 minutes. Follow up visits last 30 minutes.

Many of our patients notice improvement in their condition within one or two visits.

During your appointment

After reviewing your medical history with you, Dr. Lytle-Vieira will perform a traditional medical physical exam, followed by hands on osteopathic examination and treatment. You will lay fully clothed on the treatment table while the doctor feels the bones, muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, joints, and nervous system of your body. This may include any body region, including but not limited to your head, neck, chest, back, pelvis, legs/feet, and arms/hands.

Dr. Lytle-Vieira will gently and precisely use her hands to work with your body to resolve areas of strain in the musculoskeletal and nervous system and encourage normal body function. Osteopathic treatment is generally very relaxing– in fact it is common for patients to fall asleep on the table.

Various osteopathic treatment approaches are used, including myofascial, muscle energy, counterstrain, balanced ligamentous/membranous tension, lymphatic, percussion hammer techniques, and cranial osteopathy/biodynamics/cranial sacral treatment.

If appropriate, as part of your visit Dr. Lytle-Vieira may recommend therapeutic exercises for you to do at home, make supplement or dietary recommendations, prescribe medication, order blood/lab tests, order x rays/MRIs or other imaging, or refer you to another physician(s).

How many treatments will I need to get better?

There is no hard and fast rule because each patient’s response to osteopathic treatment is unique, but many issues can be resolved or significantly improved in one to three visits. Generally, more severe, chronic/long standing issues require more visits than acute/mild issues.

How many times a week will I need treatment?

Dr. Lytle-Vieira’s goal is to help her patients get so well with osteopathy that they rarely (if ever) need to see her.

In general, patients are seen more frequently when first receiving osteopathic treatment (for example, once a week) and as their body heals, fewer visits are needed.

Frequency of visits is always based on the patient’s needs and unique response to treatment coupled with the evolving diagnostic information gleaned during examination and treatment.

Dr. Lytle-Vieira recommends that patients return a few times a year for health maintenance (“tune up”), or sooner if they have dental work, get pregnant, or have trauma such as a car accident, fall, or surgery.