What Is Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment which works with the relationship of structure and function within the body. Osteopaths work to restore the normal function of the body to enhance a state of balance and harmony, within the whole person. An Osteopathic treatment aims beyond the symptoms, toward the cause bringing a state of balance within the whole person. Patients often report a greater sense of well being, higher energy levels, and improved sleep patterns, as the wisdom within the patient’s body resolves the symptoms that brought them to the Osteopath in the first place.
Cranial Osteopathy is particularly suitable for all ages, from newborns to the elderly. Cranial Osteopathy is a very gentle form of treatment. Newborns and children are relieved of many problems including colic, sleeping and feeding difficulties and Otitis Media as well as developmental problems. It has been shown that expectant mothers receiving Osteopathic care are relieved of the aches and pains of pregnancy and tend to have fewer complications during delivery.
The goal of Osteopathic Medicine is to restore normal physiologic function allowing the health in the body to overcome disease and reduce the need for medication. Using the principles of Osteopathy, a wide range of conditions can be treated, including:
- Headaches
- Back Pain
- Scoliosis
- Sciatica
- Jaw Pain
- Trauma
- Complications of Stroke & Parkinson’s Disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue
- Myofacial Pain Syndrome
- Musculoskeletal Complaints of Pregnancy
- Pre-menstrual Syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Developmental Delays in Children
- Sensory Integration Disorder
- ADHD
- Infants with Colic
- Otitis Media
- Asthma/Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
- Upper Respiratory Infections
- Lymph edema
- Hypertension
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- GERD
- Many other conditions involving the autonomic nervous system
Pregnancy is a challenging experience. The body undergoes dramatic changes physically, physiologically, and emotionally. As the mother undergoes this tremendous change in her center of gravity she may experience a strain on the organs and musculoskeletal systems of the body. Many women have to cope with a wide range of symptoms including low back pain, upper back and neck pain, morning sickness and post partum depression. For many years, Osteopaths have used their training to help relieve the complications caused by these changes during and after pregnancy.
The simple answer to this question is no. An Osteopathic Treatment is a gentle and relaxing restoration of normal physiological function. Patients generally feel sensations of warmth and relaxation throughout the body. Occasionally there is discomfort when evaluating an area that is already tender.
The Osteopathic philosophy holds the relationship of structure and function in the forefront of understanding health. We believe that the body holds within it all that is needed to maintain health and overwhelm disease. The wisdom for healing is held within the structure/function relationship. Therefore we are looking for the cause behind the cause of any complaint. Our aim is the restoration of health, as opposed to the elimination of any one symptom. An Osteopathic treatment helps a patient develop a relationship with their own health. The Chiropractic approach looks toward the alignment of the axial skeleton (the spine) as the fundamental key to health. In other words, repeatedly aligning the spine will ultimately restore health.
A Physical Therapist is not a licensed physician. Their education includes approaching musculoskeletal complaints through retraining specific areas of the body. This is done through various exercises performed by the physical therapist as well as the patient.
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is the use of a variety of manipulative techniques allowing the Osteopath to apply the Osteopathic philosophy to specific conditions in a patient’s body. These techniques range from directly encountering the strain and moving it through its barrier to moving away from the direction of strain to a point of balance allowing the body the freedom to self correct. Within this range of treatment there are 5 basic Osteopathic approaches to manipulative medicine. From direct to indirect techniques we haveHigh Velocity, Low Amplitude technique Muscle Energy uses the patients’ own muscle contraction to pull the joint through the barrier, Strain/Counterstrain moves the body away from the barrier, Myofacial Release also moves away from the barrier,Cranial Osteopathy which is the most indirect.
Cranial Osteopathy gets its name because it works with the cranio-sacral mechanism as its core, but like all Osteopathic approaches to healing, it considers the whole of the patient as one functional unit. Cranial Osteopathy synchronizes the breath of the patient with all other natural rhythms in an effort to harmonize the physiologic function of the whole of the patient.
An initial visit takes about 1 ½ hours, follow-up visits are scheduled for 45 minutes. You will be asked to give a complete history. You will be given a physical exam including a structural evaluation. It is best to wear loose fitting clothing. Most osteopathic treatment is gentle and should not cause undue discomfort, although assessment and treatment may require the handling of painful areas. Most people find treatment relaxing. Some patients experience soreness after treatment, similar to that felt after unaccustomed exercise.
Osteopathic treatment is aimed not only at the relief of symptoms, but towards helping the body function better as a whole. Patients often report an improved sense of well being, higher energy levels, improved sleep patterns, and the relief of many symptoms besides those that brought them in search of care.
Osteopathic medical school trains physicians, as does any other medical school, preparing them for further training in all medical specialties. You will find Osteopaths working in internal medicine, as surgeons, cardiologists, pulmonologists, gynecologists, physiatrists, and all other specialties. Those Osteopaths who practice traditional Osteopathic medicine are board certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. This is a fairly board training that includes areas of neurology, rheumatology, orthopedics, as well as manipulative medicine.
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