Osteopathy

Osteopathy is the branch of science which believes that illness and diseases in the body are caused due to the loss of structural unity which can be restored back through manipulation. It is ranked among the 'alternative system of medicine' which focuses on the role of musculoskeletal system in health and disease. Osteopathy was first developed by Andrew Taylor Still (1828 – 1917), a civil war surgeon in the Union Army, who failed to save his three children from spinal meningitis.

In most of the countries Osteopathy serves a form of alternative medicine, focusing on the holistic approch and the skilled use of a range of manual and physical treatment interventions in curing and preventing the disease. It is actually related to musculoskeletal problems such as neck and back pain.

According to the study of Osteopathy, the body has the natural tendency to seek equilibrium and health. The practitioner of Osteopathy called Osteopaths are trained to study the body's living anatomy – flow of fluids, motions, texture of tissues and structural makeup.

The manipulation or influence allegedly allows the body to heal and recover itself. Osteopaths use manipulation for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases and illness in the body by the sense of touch.

Osteopathy employs manual therapies for the treatment of many neuromusculoskeletal pain syndrome such as depression, headache, lower back pain along with the treatment of some major diseases in the body such as asthma middle ear infections in children, pulmonary infection and menstrual pain.

There are several principle of Osteopathy according to which body is a unit. The body function according to the structure of the body. The body comprises of self regulatory mechanisms. Osteopaths believe that the body has got the natural tendency to heal itself.

the practicioners of Osteopathy beleives that body has the capacity to defend and heal itself. When the normal adaptability is distrupted, the disease may ensue. They beleive that the movement of body is essential for the maintanence of health.

Diseases enter the body when the environmental changes overcome the body's capacity to self defence and maintenance. They also believe that the nerves play the major in controlling the fluids of the body.

Aparana Chauhan