Osteopathy
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a form of manual medicine which recognises the important link between the structure of the body and the way it functions. Osteopaths focus on how the skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs function as a holistic unit. Using skilled evaluation, diagnosis and a wide range of hands-on techniques, osteopaths can identify important types of dysfunction in your body. Osteopathic treatment uses techniques such as stretching and massage for general treatment of the soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) along with mobilisation of specific joints and soft tissues.
In Australia, osteopaths are university trained in anatomy, physiology, pathology, general medical diagnosis and osteopathic techniques. Osteopaths are primary healthcare practitioners and are trained to recognise conditions which require medical referral. They are also trained to perform standard medical examinations of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems.
Osteopathy is covered by most private health funds and the Medicare Enhanced Primary Care scheme. Osteopaths are registered providers for workers’ compensation schemes, motor accident insurers and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
The Origins of Osteopathy
Osteopathy was developed in 1874 by American physician and surgeon, Dr Andrew Taylor Still. Dr Still’s theories differed dramatically from popular medical opinion at the time (which was far from today’s medical science) in that he publicly criticised the inappropriate use of patent medicines and advocated treatment of the individual rather than the disease.
Osteopathy was the result of ten years of extensive research and clinical observation, prompted by an outbreak in 1864 of spinal meningitis which claimed the lives of three of Dr Still’s children. This began Dr Still’s search for a better way to apply medicine in an age when many patients were given drugs that were poorly researched and treatments that were in many ways worse than the disease itself. As a result of his success with patients, Dr Still established the American School of Osteopathy in 1892.
Benefits of Osteopathic Treatment
Exactly how does Osteopathy help the body to heal itself?
The body is often able to care for itself, to compensate for injury. Nevertheless, in some instances, the injury is greater than the body’s ability to adjust or recover. In various other circumstances the body is not presently capable to regroup to be able to heal itself. This lack of ability may be produced by a variety of reasons, and the injuries, in some cases even small ones, start to develop a problem.
In those cases, osteopathic treatment may help bring back the balance within your body and aid your body to be able to use its natural reserves and strengths to recover by itself.
Osteopathic Treatment is based upon enabling your body to operate effectively.
Fundamental concepts of Osteopathy are:
- That all body parts are interconnected
- That the function of one part of the body is dependent on the regular performance of the various other parts
- Great blood flow is vital in order for the body to get proper nutrients, and for the removal of waste material. Example: Exactly what occurs to the water in a pool when you leave it for too long, without motion (e.g. if the water pump is broken). The water becomes cloudy, begins to smell bad and algae start appearing. The same thing happens in your body if the typical motion of particular parts is limited. The movement could get limited due to distortion of the cells after an injury or due to the pull from some other tight structure that did not recover appropriately after an old injury. As discussed, lack of movement results in the development of stasis, congestion of the body’s fluids and discomfort and various other problems appear.
- If allowed, the body is able to heal itself. This is an easy example: When you cut yourself, the cut heals on its own, without any action on your part, i.e. you do not need to utilize any medication or cream for small cuts. However in some cases, as the cut, or an injury heals, it might produce a mark that may pull on the surrounding cells. Osteopathy may assist your body, by using really accurate techniques to eliminate tensions developed by an old (that you could have forgotten you had) or new injury. By eliminating the stress, the body restores its natural capability to operate by itself and the cells, by getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients, restart the procedure of healing.
- Minor injuries may create a much bigger structural issue eventually if disregarded. For example: if you run in shoes that are too small. Initially, you are going to feel some slight discomfort, after 2-3 hours, you could begin to limp, after 4-5 hours you may start experiencing back pain, and at the end of the day you would most likely feel exhausted, distressed or irritable. And, it all began with shoes that were simply a little tight. Your friends and family probably would not observe your tight shoes but they would observe the way you walk and your facial expression.
In this case, it is very simple to remove the problem, as the discomfort will most likely vanish as you take your shoes off, however if you continue using them for a couple of days or months, some of the modifications in your walking and posture and spinal column will begin to set in, and it will be harder for the discomfort to disappear as you take your shoes off. Osteopathy may be helpful in addressing such problems.
What are the advantages of Osteopathic Treatment? It may:
- Remove the underlying reason for discomfort
- Reduce discomfort and tightness in muscles and joints
- Improve range of movements in the joints
- Assist spinal issues resulting from poor posture or spine disk injuries
- Relieve chronic pain through non-invasive treatment
- Reduce tension on the joints
- Reduce stress in the body
- Relieve stress headaches and migraine headaches
- Help the body to adapt to hormonal and structural changes during pregnancy
- Reduce adhesions
- Assist injury arising from accidents (Sport injuries, Car injuries)
- Encourage the body to heal itself
- Increase circulation