There is not enough understanding of what the osteopath does. As a result, people still believe it is not different from regular medicine and shuns osteopathy completely. But, various medical councils around the world have begun to acknowledge the service that the osteopathic physician offers are crucial to maintaining the physical and mental well-being of the patients.
Osteopathic medicine
It is simple to put that osteopathic medicine is dedicated to treating and healing the patient, in a holistic manner, rather than focusing on the body part or one system that suffers from the ailment. The branch of medicine believes the relative positions of several structures of the human body are essential to maintain good health.
As an outcome, an osteopathic physician will offer osteopathic manipulative treatment therapy for patients. The therapy is also called MOT or manipulation, which involves moving various bones and muscles into proper positions to ensure the body moves properly. The unimpeded body motion is believed to enhance the patient’s health since it permits the body’s natural healing systems to work properly.
Osteopathic medicine is a practice by a licensed physician, who believes in a hands-on healing approach for the injured or ill. It attempts to improve or correct imbalances in the musculoskeletal system, which allows the body to heal itself.
What can this therapy do for you?
Finding a professional osteopath to offer the right treatment is of paramount significance. Many people think that the therapist is just a back specialist, this professional will always look at the spine and treat it far more than the mere back. The main areas of expertise are the joints, nerves, and muscles of the body and the associated problems.
The therapist will look at the body as a whole and aims to place it in a position where it heals itself. It is trained to diagnose the cause of dysfunction or pain, taking a very detailed case history on making sure they have a full picture of the patient’s presenting complaint and past history.
What does it aim for?
It aims to restore the body to optimum health with various techniques that range from:
- Massage
- Mobilizations
- Manipulations
It depends on the age, fitness, and diagnosis of the patient. As a healthcare professional, it looks out for more serious complaints of some symptoms and refers patients to specialists where needed.
The treatment applies innocuous forces to release the stress and strain to make the body’s self-healing forces work in the right direction to address the problem area. There are different types of forces used for the treatments are:
- Variable pressure
- Balanced tension
- Augmentation
- Muscle energy
Osteopathic therapy is directed against any part of the body, including:
- Bones
- Muscles
- Ligaments
- Connective tissue, etc.
Osteopathy is for everyone. Patients may vary from the newborn baby or even to the elderly, from expectant mothers to sports people.
