Osteopathy has its roots in post-Civil War medicine. Many of the contemporary treatments, medicines, and remedies were recognized as inadequate, toxic, and addiction prone. The term osteopathy was coined by one of the doctors, Andrew Still MD. Osteopathy developed as an approach to treatment involving manipulation of the soft tissues and bony framework of the body. This allowed treatment not only of the musculoskeletal system, but also the central nervous system, as well as the underlying organ systems involved in the patient's medical condition. Surgery was considered only as a last resort.
The practice was relatively straightforward – recognition of the position and motion of the bony elements could be used to diagnose an underlying functional state of the individual. Manipulation could then be used to correct the position and motion of these bony elements and provided a change in the body's function and ability to clear infection, reduce inflammation and, in general, “heal”. Allowing people to heal as a whole person.
The philosophy:
1) The Body has One Unit of Function.
2) The Body is capable of Self-Healing, self-correcting, self-maintaining and self-regulating.
3) Structure and Function are inter-related.
4) The practice of osteopathic medicine utilizes Body Unity, Self-Healing, and Structural-Functional relationships in order to allow the Individual to find Health.
Osteopathy can be used to treat:
- structural and functional issues in the bones, joints, tissues and muscles of the body
- the relationship between the neuromusculoskeletal system and the rest of the body to restore functionality and/or remove barriers to motion and healing
- asthma, sinus disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines and many more conditions
Osteopathy:
- Achieves and maintains patient health as part of a whole system of evaluation and treatment
- Provides a non-invasive and medication-free treatment option for patients
- Can be performed in many different environments
- Can be administered safely in combination with other medical treatments to improve outcomes
- Encourages your body’s natural tendency toward self-healing
- Can be used to complement, or even replace, drugs or surgery
