Osteopathy
History of Osteopathy
Osteopathy (Osteopathic Medicine) was started during the later half of the Nineteenth century by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, a medical doctor practising in America. He was one of the first physicians to fully appreciate the body to be an intelligent structure capable, under the right conditions, to maintain health. In fact it was only when the internal mechanism was disturbed too far outside of the normal that a pathology arose.
After the loss of his own two children to the conventional medicine of that time, Dr. Still devoted his life to the science of the practise he called "Osteopathy" (Osteo - meaning bone & pathology - meaning disease (taking this form more literally to mean dis-'ease'))
He was said, by his friend and even patients, to be a very studious, initiative and deeply religious man and this can be seen in his work and in the way he respected the body.
Owing to the success and benefits of Osteopathy at that time, within 10 years of the first "Osteopathic School" opening there was recorded over 50,000 practitioners and about 100 Osteopathic Schools.
Today in America around 25 - 35% of all mainstream Medical Practitioners are qualified Osteopaths.
When Osteopathy originated it was used as a complete medicine for all illnesses. However, today it is better known for its effects in the non-surgical treatment of the spine, muscle and joints. Infact, often being used to compliment, avoid or even to negate surgery.
Osteopathy is for everyone
Pregnant ladies and treatment for new mums
Postnatal women suffer complaints attributable to mechanical strains acquired during pregnancy and after, due to the complete life changes occurring with little ones around the increased lifting work load.
Pregnancy puts a huge strain on the mother's body, especially the pelvis and low back. Treatment can be given to relieve these strains and reduce back pain.
Most pregnant women find Osteopathic treatment gives relief from other problems with child bearing such head-aches, diaphragmatic pain, etc.
One or two treatments in the final few months of pregnancy may help ensure that the pelvis is working well and make for an easier labour.
Babies
The bones of the skull are still separate at birth and are designed to overlap slightly during the birth process. Occasionally these fail to "unfold" completely afterwards which may lead to problems such as irritable/crying babies, poor feeding or bad sleeping habits. This is especially noticed in the cases of prolonged or difficult births, forceps/ventousse deliveries or ceasarian births.
The forces of being born from the uterine contractions etc may cause a tightness within the upper cervical spine of the new born - this tightness in itself may present as feeding difficulties, colic, a 'sicky' baby and irritability, and your Osteopath will be able to explain to you the reasons for this during your visit.
Teething and sudden growth spurts also often upset the development of a growing child and may be a trigger for problems in other areas.
Because of the variety and gentleness of many osteopathic techniques, there is no minimum age for treatment. Some parents bring there baby for a check-up within a few days and others come later when problems start to become apparent.
Teenagers
Teenagers become much more active and take part in many sporting and recreational activities which carry the risk of sprains and strains. Skillful diagnosis and treatment by the osteopath can prevent musculo-skeletal problems developing and allow the body's framework to heal naturally and adjust to the stresses and strains put upon it.
Computer games appear to cause children bad postural habits by often sitting incorrectly when using the computer. This problem is often exacerbated by poor ergonomic set up of home computers.
Carrying heavy overloaded school bags regularly may stress the shoulder girdle. Stresses of extra studying at exam time could also increase the tension through the spine.
Elderly
As the elderly population increases, the importance of maintaining health and independence for as long as possible is becoming a pressing national concern. Osteopathy can make a key contribution to optimising fitness and improving the quality of life for retired people.
Many of these people accept too readily that their aches and pains are due to ageing and that stoically they must learn to live with them. There are many conditions that can be helped by osteopaths and even if treatment does not provide complete relief, it can maintain mobility in the spine and joints and reduce stiffness and the need for painkillers. Not forgetting of course that, owing to increasing the general health of the body and tissues, osteopathic treatment can also be beneficial to prepare a patient for joint replacement surgery ensuring the patient an improved recovery.
