What is it? And how can it help me?
As a result of its remarkable success in the treatment of neck, back and other musculo-skeletal problems. Osteopathy is a household word in European countries. In Australia, people are more familiar with chiropractic because of American influences on our culture. Like chiropractic, Osteopathy is used to overcome a whole range of structural problems within the musculo-skeletal system - low back pain and sciatica, brachial, appendicular, muscular and ligamentous problems, headaches of mechanical origin, post-surgical conditions and so forth. What is not often known is that Osteopathy can be useful in the larger field of functional (or what are commonly known today as idiopathic or psychosomatic disorders). These can include conditions such as migraine, reflex headaches, asthma, functional heart problems, gastro-intestinal disturbances, and those conditions often broadly referred to by patients as "nerves".
Osteopathy is a holistic form of complementary medicine that uses "hands on" manual techniques to diagnose and treat a wide variety of health conditions. Osteopathy is based on the philosophy that the body functions as a complete unit. The human body is comprised of many moving parts, whether it is between joints and muscles, the rhythmic movement of organs, the flow of blood, or the microscopic interaction between cells. When the body is free of restrictions in movement, osteopathy believes that the body can cope better with pain, stress and disease and has the potential to heal itself.
All parts of the body function together in an integrated manner. If one part of the body is restricted, then the rest of the body must adapt and compensate for this, eventually leading to inflammation, pain, stiffness and other health problems.
The role of the Osteopath is to remove these patterns of restriction so the body is aligned correctly. Osteopaths utilise a sensitive and finely tuned sense of touch to test motions and tension within the body's framework. Osteopaths also give advice on exercise and stretching programmes, posture, and lifting techniques. Osteopathic treatment affects the physiological functioning of the whole body through treatment of the muscles, joints, and other soft tissues. Treatment improves circulation, immune and nervous system functioning along with improved digestion, breathing and energy levels. A referral is not required for a treatment.
|
|
