What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a form of manual healthcare that has a unique way of thinking about health. Usually our bodies are amazing at healing themselves, so if people aren’t getting better on their own an osteopath wants to understand why.
The body is intimately connected through its anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. It maintains a natural state of health by adjusting its internal physiology to balance the effects of engaging with the external environment. Sometimes injuries and illnesses can disrupt our natural state resulting in imbalance, pain or discomfort.
An osteopath looks at how your body functions as a whole and reasons from the presenting symptoms to find a root cause of the problem.
“Treating the effects is as unwarranted as it would be for the fireman of a city to fight the smoke and pay no attention to the cause that produces it”
–
Dr. Andrew Taylor Still – Founder of Osteopathy
Osteopathy was developed in Missouri by Dr Andrew Still in 1874. Dr Still believed that 19th century medicine and the related medications were harmful. Ostopathy pioneered the concept of “wellness” and recognized the importance of treating illness within the context of the whole body.
Using gentle hands on treatment an osteopath will release areas of strain and tension to assist bodily changes in biochemistry back toward normal, through mechanisms like reducing inflammation, pain and improving fluid flow.
Training
Osteopaths undergo a 5 year university degree. They work with all ages and typically treat musculoskeletal injuries of the spine, head, jaw, upper and lower limbs. They can also assist in the management of issues related to digestive, respiratory, nervous, vascular and lymphatic systems by treating mechanical restrictions in the musculoskeletal system.