Osteopathy is a manual examination and treatment method of the integrated musculoskeletal, visceral system and craniosacral systems. The osteopath examines and treats manually the mobility of all these systems and looks for limitations in mobility that could be linked to the patient's complaint. Osteopaths make use of an extensive practical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, neurology and pathology. By treating mobility of the musculoskeletal, the vascular, neurological and fascial system in an integrated and structured way, patients healing capacities increase dramatically.
Osteopathy - is a holistic medicine which perceives a person as a union of body, mind and spirit and cures with special manual techniques. Osteopathy is a medical discipline based on manual diagnosis and treatment of impaired movement within the human body. Impaired movement between different tissues of the body result in impaired functioning of the body, thus causing illness. The founder was an American doctor, Andrew Taylor Still who lived from 1828 to 1917.
Still established that all types of acute or chronic illnesses are reflected in the muscular-skeletal apparatus, and he devised appropriate manual curing techniques. The principle in question is that the manipulation of bones, muscles and other tissues releases obstacles that impede a good blood circulation liquids and nervous impulses which in turn stimulate the body natural self healing capacities. Osteopathy not only cures symptoms but also resolve the true causes of illnesses.
Still's principles are still valid to this day and are as follows:
- The body is our drugstore. All the substances we need to recover and keep in good health can be found there.
- The artery is a river of life, health and well-being. If its flow is blocked, the illness appears.
- Illnesses are the after-effects of disorders in the nerve channels and the blood flow.
Osteopathy is a combination of three things: science, art and technique, much the same way as man is a combination of mind, body and spirit.
- Science - It’s science lies in an in-depth knowledge of the human body, derived from basic medical subjects such as anatomy, physiology, neurology, pathology etc.
- Art - The art of osteopathy lies in understanding the patient one is dealing with. Understanding how to approach him/her in a manner that will restore balance to the body and therefore allow the body to reclaim a healthier state.
- Technique - Techniques are the body of Osteopathy. They allow medical science and the artful approach towards a patient to be channelled into a manual treatment that removes the obstacles that impede normal
