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Osteopathy was founded by Dr Andrew Taylor Still in
Kansas a midwestern state in the USA. Osteopathy aim is to
stimulate the
body's own healing mechanism, rather than trying to destroy or suppress
a
particular disease process. 'Osteopathy is a philosophy of
health not just a
series of techniques applied to the body. This philosophy acknowledges
that in
health the body should be able to automatically adapt to different
demands, and
maintain itself in a state of balance and harmony. The body is always
doing its
best to maintain a state of balance, and can recover from or adapt to
many
traumatic events. However its resources for coping are not endless, and
sometimes events occur that are too much for the body to correct
without
assistance. This is where osteopathy can help. (Hayden,
2000)'
THE ROOTS OF OSTEOPATHY
Andrew Taylor Still (1828 - 1917) was an American
physician. Osteopathy emerged through Still's life journey (A Life Chronology of the First
Osteopath).
Still's
immersion in the study of the nature of health, and dis-ease coalesced
on the
22nd of June 1874. Still's moment of clarity," 'I saw a small
light in
the horizon of truth' ,'like a burst of sunshine
the whole truth dawned
on my mind, that I was gradually approaching a science by study,
research, and
observation that would be a great benefit to the world.'
(Still,
1908)" 'This approach to Health he termed
Osteopathy, possibly
to denote the important role that osseous tissues play in the structure
and
function of the organism (Lee, 2005). 'We look at
the body in health
as meaning perfection and harmony, not in part, but in the whole (Still,
1892).' 'Osteopathy is to me a very sacred science.
It is sacred
because it is a healing power through all nature. (Still,
1910). ' Although Still had
discovered Osteopathy,
in his own words he said he had only 'grasped the tail of the
squirrel in
the hole of the tree'. In 1892 Dr Still opened the
first school of
Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri.
The Osteopathy principles essentially are the roots of the tree of
Osteopathy
from which all the treatment approaches have branched, some of these
are given
in a nutshell below.
The basic four principles of osteopathy:
- The
body is a unit (body, mind, spirit).
- The
body is a self-regulatory mechanism.
- The
body has the inherent capacity to heal itself.
- Structure
and function are reciprocally interrelated.
Further expansion of the above
principles are given below
- When
the normal adaptability is disrupted, or when environmental changes
overcome the body's capacity for self-maintenance, disease may ensue.
- The
movement of the body fluids is essential to the maintenance of health.
- Nerves
play a crucial part in controlling the fluids of the body.
- There
are somatic components to disease that are not only manifestations of
disease but also are factors that contribute to maintenance of the
diseased state.
'To obtain good results in
osteopathy, we must blend ourselves with and travel in harmony
with Nature’s truths' (Still, 1892). 'What
is harmony but Health?
It takes harmony of every nerve, vein, and artery in every part of the
body'.
(Still 1908)
The
OSTEOPATHIC PERSPECTIVE
The Aim Of
Osteopathic Treatment
‘
The aim of osteopathic treatment is to increase the individual patient's
quality of
life and to improve the structural and dynamic balance of the patient's
body
systems, minimizing its energy requirements (Liem, 2005).’
The aim of the
Osteopath is
to work with the natural healing forces that are present in the
individual patient.
In learning to do this the Osteopath follows the osteopathic principles
as his
guide. Every technique and approach in osteopathy has emerged through
following
the principles of Osteopathy. These principles are forever present in
the
natural world. As Dr Still (founder) says all he did was discover what
was
already there.
'I do not claim to be the author of this science of
Osteopathy.
No human hand framed its laws; I ask no greater honour than
to
have discovered it.' (Still, 1908)
One could say ‘An
Osteopath uses the connective tissues as
the doorway to improve the function and health of the
individual’. One
can think of the Osteopath as the connective tissue piano tuner, who
gets the
keys in synchrony and harmony so that when the three C keys are struck
together
they function as one whole unit of function.
Further
Infomation Regarding Osteopathic
Treatment
Osteopaths
are
trained in standard manual medicine
diagnosis. This is good as it allows different practitioners to
communicate and
is useful in cases where patients need referrals or second opinions
from other
medical practitioners or exercise professionals. Osteopaths very seldom
work
just on the patient’s site of discomfort but work on the patient as a
whole to
improve the patient's overall function. It is through the improvement
of
overall function that the healing forces are now able to focus on
healing the
tissues that are causing the pain, so returning them below the pain
threshold
and so allowing the body to return back to its normal balance. The
osteopath
does not heal the patient, the healing forces within the body do that,
the
osteopath just brings the patient to a point of balance in the tissues
where
healing is optimal to occur.
Life Style
Changes For Optimal Health
The Osteopath
may give the patient suggested
lifestyle changes, such as nutritional changes, exercise advice,
exercise rehab
all of which will help the patient to heal from within.
When Is
Osteopathy Treatment Best Sought and
What MusculoSkeletal Conditions May It Help?
Osteopathy has
its best results in that grey area where the patient is somewhere on
the
continuum between optimal health and Pathology
Osteopaths do
not Treat Conditions, but Patients. Click the squirrel below for a list
of
common musculoskeletal conditions that patients find respond well to an
Osteopathic treatment approach. (Drawing of Baby Squirrel by Karen)
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