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Physiotherapy without a prescription: what works and what does not

Not every treatment needs a referral. An overview of what self-payers can expect and when the route still leads through a doctor.

10 min read

An appointment in physiotherapy does not require a medical prescription. Self-payers can come directly -- though there are cases where a check-up first is the sensible order.

What works without a prescription

Preventive treatment, workplace posture advice, massage and most forms of manual therapy are available as self-paid services. An appointment is usually available within a week, because it is not tied to the quotas of a health insurance referral.

When we send you to a doctor first

  • Pain after a fall or accident, as long as a fracture has not been ruled out.
  • Numbness, loss of strength or pain radiating into an arm or leg.
  • Fever, unexplained weight loss or pain at rest during the night.

This is not red tape: in these cases treatment can do harm or delay a cause that belongs in different hands.

Not sure which applies? Give us a call. A short conversation settles in five minutes whether an appointment makes sense straight away.