FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What happens during a consultation?
The first phase of the consultation consists in a detailed review of the patient’s history in order to highlight the cause of the
pathology. The second phase looks to apply gentle, painless and adapted manual therapy to the patient.
How many sessions are necessary?
The number of sessions necessary depends on the pathology, how long it has existed and the general condition of the patient.
The sooner the problem is addressed, the sooner it will be resolved. However, an average of 2 to 4 sessions is customary to
treat the most common pathologies.
What is the price of an etiopathy consultation?
● Adult consultation: €60
● Infant consultation (under 5 years old): €40
● Reduced rate (CMU): €50
Is etiopathy reimbursed?
Most health insurance companies cover etiopathy in their "alternative medicine" packages.
What is the difference between etiopathy, physiotherapy and osteopathy?
Treatment approach
● The etiopath analyzes the symptoms presented by the patient to determine which function of the human body is
causing the problem. Knowledge of all branches of human physiology, anatomy and pathologies, as well as systemic
reasoning, allows the practitioner to identify the cause of the pathology and treat it using gentle and targeted
manipulations.
● The physiotherapist performs prescribed massages and movements to relax and strengthen the muscles. They
intervene for post-operative rehabilitation or following prolonged immobilization (hospitalization, convalescence, etc.).
● The osteopath sees the body as a whole, he looks for postural imbalances (shifted pelvis, shorter leg, etc.), works on
the fascia, follows the movement of the bones, etc. There is no real reasoning specific to osteopathy. There are
different approaches depending on individual practitioners and schools.
Training/Qualifications
● Etiopathy is taught in 4 universities in France (Paris, Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse). They are the only establishments
authorized to issue the etiopathy diploma. Completing the qualification requires 6 years of full-time studies validated
by passing both theoretical and practical exams, as well as completing a dissertation. All students are subject to the
same jury during national exams which take place in Paris. Each year only 60 to 80 students graduate. There are
around 500 etiopaths worldwide.
● Physiotherapy is taught in 35 training institutes in France. The course completion takes 3 years and can be combined
with additional training in osteopathy. There are approximately 86500 practicing physiotherapists in the French
territories.
● Osteopathy offers varied training two training options: Full-time over 3-5 years for high school graduates. Or part-time
over 1 year for doctors and physiotherapists. France has more than 20000 osteopaths with 3000 new graduates per year.