Osteopathic medicine employs manipulation and massage to return the body to balance and health.
Osteopathy treats the entire body through manipulation of the body's musculoskeletal structure, including bones, spine, joints and musculature. It attempts to go beyond conventional medical treatment and to bring about a balanced, healthy state in all of the bodily systems. Many beneficial effects of osteopathic treatment have been observed, although medical doctors still debate the usefulness of osteopathy when coping with disease and serious medical conditions.
Whole-Body Treatment
Instead of treating medical conditions at their specific location, the osteopathic method is a "whole-body" method based on the fact that the body will compensate for weakness or injury in one part by placing more strain on distant part, which leads to pain, inflammation, stiffness and further injury. Osteopaths seek to integrate all of the body's disparate structures and functions, allowing them to work together at an optimum level.
Alternative to Medication
In contrast to general medical practitioners, osteopaths work without the use of either prescription or over-the-counter medications. Thus, the patient suffers no side-effects or toxicity and will not develop any kind of drug dependency. Rather than artificial medications, osteopaths seek to cure their patients by triggering the body's self-healing abilities.
Wellness Guidance
Through diagnosis of structural problems in the body, osteopaths can also provide useful guidance on proper posture, work habits, nutrition and the benefits of regular exercise. In the long run, this preventive treatment can be much more effective in developing good health than simply dealing with pain and other conditions as they come up.
Benefits of Manipulation
With its emphasis on manipulation of joints and the body's fascia, or nerve sheaths, osteopathic medicine is particularly effective for the treatment of sprains, strains and sports injuries such as tennis elbow, as well as common neck and back pain. The manipulation can help improve blood flow, restore the function of nerves, relax muscles, help alleviate sciatica (nerve pain) and improve arthritic joints.
Tags: medical conditions