Osteopathy

Osteopathic Principles

Osteopathy is a natural, manual medicine which emphasizes overall health and the interrelatedness of the body's nerves, muscles, bones, and organs. Founded by Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917), osteopathic philosophy focuses on disease prevention, health maintenance and the notion that the body is naturally able to heal itself when there are no physical impediments.

As an alternative or complement to orthodox medicine, osteopathic practitioners (referred to as Doctors of Osteopathy or DOs) base diagnosis and treatment on the idea that the body's systems are interconnected. The osteopath uses his/her hands to gently work with the body to enhance this natural ability to self-regulate and self-heal. A caring, non-invasive, holistic approach to the patient and attention to individual needs are of primary importance in osteopathic practice. Instead of merely treating specific symptoms or illnesses, osteopaths consider and treat the body as an integrated whole, simultaneously addressing the patient's physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing as factors of wellness.

Diagnosis Through Palpation

Osteopaths believe that structure governs function; if the part of the body's structure is damaged, misaligned, or otherwise impaired, that structure (and therefore the entire body) will not function at its best.

To diagnose dis-ease, practitioners palpate gently, yet intentionally, by touching the tissues or systems under examination. The Canadian College of Osteopathy defines palpation as a diagnostic skill that the osteopath uses to discern the state of the tissues or systems being examined, employing the many sensory aspects of touch, such as the ability to detect moisture, texture, temperature differential, and subtle motion. This ability to detect the slightest motion is a trained skill which takes years to develop and provides the osteopath with the capability of perceiving the natural motion present in all living organisms.

Personalized Treatment

The Ontario Association of Osteopaths explains on its website that DOs use precise manual techniques to restore balance and proper function to areas of the body that are restricted (not moving normally) or constricted (strangled or squeezed).

According to Stephen Sandler, DO, in his text Osteopathy, An Integrated Whole Body Therapy (Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited,1989), osteopathic treatment is unique for every patient, and may even be different for the same patient at each individual consultation, since the factors that initiated tissue breakdown may be different from case to case. Once the imbalance or cause of the problem has been removed, the body is free to heal itself and the pain and discomfort eventually disappear.

Working with an osteopath can effectively restore balance to the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive, and nervous systems of people of all ages.

Specific issues that may be alleviated through osteopathic treatment may include back and neck pain, sciatica, scoliosis, headaches, migraines, anxiety and depression, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, sinusitis, joint pain, hip, knee and foot pain, TMJ problems and jaw pain, recurrent ear infections, sprain and strain, sport injuries, menstrual pain, frequent colds, asthma, colic in babies, birth trauma and mechanically caused gastrointestinal problems.

An Efficient Alternative Therapy

Osteopathic treatment provides an excellent alternative to taking pain medications, which in many cases create other problems such as upset stomach and other cascading side effects. Since osteopathy identifies and treats the cause of pain and dysfunction – not merely focusing on alleviating symptoms – it tends to be very efficient, and the problem of recurrence is often prevented.

Osteopathy

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