Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a holistic approach, whereby one treats the whole person, not only a
symptom or a disease. It is a hands-on-therapy, which works mostly with very soft and
subtle techniques to help the body to unfold its inherent self healing potential.
Osteopaths
An Osteopath has a very specific and detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology and
physiology. He/She is extremely well trained in feeling all the different structures,
tissues, organs, all the fluid flow of blood and lymph and is able to detect any
obstructions present.
Osteopathic Treatment
The goal is not a short term intervention, but supports the self healing potential that every
human being possesses. The Osteopath searches for health - not for the disease. The focus
is on treating and healing the entire patient, rather than treating a patient’s symptoms in a
crisis-orientated, one-spot only approach. It is about a free moving body, as free motion
ensures that all innate healing systems are free to work without dysfunctions. A thorough
case history is taken and also diagnosis takes place with the hands. This, and the superb
knowledge of anatomy and physiology, helps the osteopath to detect any tension or
dysfunction that might be the cause for the symptoms. The Osteopath then treats this
problem with soft and subtle manual techniques or, if necessary, with manipulations to
gently free the restricted areas.
A treatment can take up to 50 minutes. The Osteopath does not heal - but activates the
self healing potential! Osteopathic medicine sees the body’s own healing system as the
most effective intervention and seeks in every way possible to stimulate and release the
body’s own healing resources. The body now can start this process, which is why usually
there are several weeks in between treatments. Babies and little children are usually
treated sooner again, as their system changes very fast, or someone who is totally
exhausted (long disease, long period of stress, major emotional impact), because his/her
system might need more assistance in getting started again. Each new session picks up
the patient at his/her very state of health at that day. On average it takes 5-6 treatments to
get the person back to health. Chronic diseases need more help.
Who seeks help from an Osteopath?
Pregnant women, mothers and babies, seniors with all the problems derived from the
aging process and everybody in between. Some examples:
Internal problems: such as irritable bowel, asthma, heart burn, functional heart
problems, varicose.
Head/Ear/Nose problems: such as sinus problems, headaches, ear infections, dizziness,
jaw problems, vertigo.
Urogenital problems: such as chronic bladder infections, incontinence, kidney
problems, prostate problems.
Gynecological problems: such as menstruation cramps, menopause disorders,
during/after pregnancy.
Pediatric problems: such as distortion of the skull, vomiting, colic, steady crying,
asymmetry.
Overall problems: like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, panic attacks, attention deficit
disorders or sleeping disorders, scars, etc.
Approaches in Osteopathy
Although one might hear about different kinds of Osteopathy, this is not the case. Rather
there are different systems in the body, and so there are different names for these
systems. But the treatment always includes all systems- intensity depending on where the
focus is.
The Cranio Sacral System includes the skull, sacrum, brain, spinal cord and nerve
tissues. Dysfunction may occur through a blow on the head or a fall on the sacrum, high
fevers, reactions to vaccinations, birth process, tooth extraction, etc.
The Visceral System includes all inner organs, blood vessels, lymph vessels and the
connective tissues. Dysfunctions may occur through surgery, inflammations, wrong diet,
sinking of organs due to age, etc.
The Structural System stands for the musculo-neuro-skeletal system (muscles, nerves,
bones, fascia and joints). Dysfunctions may occur through all kinds of accidents (sports,
car accidents, falls, blows, etc.)
The Principles of Osteopathy
Self Healing of the Body: the body has a self regulating mechanism, which tries to
respond to the laws of balance, economy and comfort. Healing wounds, responding to
stress, killing germs, etc. are all part of this self healing mechanism. The highest goal of
an Osteopathic treatment is the restoration of this self healing mechanism.
The Human Body is a Whole, a Unit: The human body is a non-separable unit, in which
all systems are dependent on each other. That includes the psyche. This leads to the
recognition that an acute disease might originate in a totally different part of the body
system or might even have been triggered by a psychic reason.
The Structure governs the Function: Structure (like body fluids, bones, muscles,
organs, nerves) and function (digestion, blood/lymph circulation, etc.) are reciprocal to
each other. So a change in function (e.g. a strain) can change the structure (e.g.
calcifications), while changes in body structures (e.g. joint or vertebra dislocations)
disturb function (e.g. a nerve tingling).
History of Osteopathy
In 1874, Dr. Andrew Taylor Still named his medical approach Osteopathy. In 1876 he
opened the first School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Mo. For several years he went from
town to town in Missouri and Iowa, treating diseases of all kinds by his new method and
affecting many remarkable cures. More and more, patients came from distant parts, until
he was totally unable to care for them, and in 1892 he organized the American School of
Osteopathy from which the first class was graduated in 1894.
Although Osteopathy met with considerable opposition, its growth was rapid. It was
introduced into Hawaii in 1897, into Canada and Great Britain in 1898, and is now
practiced in Australia, China and Japan, as well as Europe.
Since 1974 Osteopaths (DO) are equal to Physicians (MD) in the USA. Although
Osteopaths in Europe have thorough osteopathic training, there is a missing piece: they
are not trained in pharmacology and surgery - Still’s idea did not include either. But
because of that they do not equal Physicians. Allopathic and Osteopathic medicine are
based on the same theoretical knowledge of sciences, but classic Osteopathy focuses on
treating the functional problems. So Osteopathy is not an alternative to classical doctors,
but it complements it, thus supporting classical medical approaches by treating the
existing dysfunctions - which would eventually lead to a structural problem - or by
treating dysfunctions, that derive from existing structural problems.