Osteopathy – sources, health benefits at NaturalPedia.com

The Canadian College of Osteopathy refers to traditional osteopathy as “a natural medicine which aims to restore function in the body by treating the causes of pain and imbalance. To achieve this goal, the Osteopathic Manual Practitioner relies on the quality and finesse of his/her palpitation and works with the position, mobility and quality of the tissues.”

Osteopathy is a system of therapy that has been in place since the 19th century. It further posits that the body can protect itself against diseases provided that the body’s parts have normal structural relationships with each other, the body resides in an environment that is conducive for healing, and the body is properly nourished.

Osteopathy’s main focus is the maintenance of proper relationships among bones, connective tissues, and muscles. In fact, the practice of osteopathy is often tied with chiropractic-like adjustments of skeletal structures. Craniosacral therapy, which is defined as the manipulation of bones and tissues of the head and neck, is also an offshoot of osteopathy.

There are a lot of things that can cause spine or joint misalignment, such as muscular tension, trapped nerves, movement blockages, poor diets, poor flexibility, poor posture, referred pain, and some form of trauma. An osteopathy practitioner can assuage the negative tensions in your body by using their hands to massage your muscles, move your joints through their natural state of motion, and stretch stiff joints.

Natural medicine is something that can be considered as closely related to osteopathic treatment. Practitioners believe in curing illnesses without the aid of medication and surgery – they are of the mindset that nothing should be added to or subtracted from the body. Their philosophy embraces the thinking that the body can heal itself naturally.

Health benefits of osteopathy

Some of the health benefits of osteopathy include relief for back pain and sciatica, headaches, whiplash and tension pains, easing of rheumatic and arthritic conditions, frozen shoulder, neck pain, referred pain, tennis and golfer’s elbow, sports injuries, ankle pain, and stress and fatigue.

Osteopathy can treat body pain, such as those in the muscles and joints.

Osteopathy makes it possible for people to increase the range of motion of their joints. As such, it can address spinal problems that came about due to spinal disk injuries or poor posture.

Osteopathy can also help people avoid a re-occurrence of an injury or acute condition. It can also hinder the development of injury due to various lifestyle factors. As such it can lessen the presence of scars in the body and treat trauma (such as those from motor vehicles and sports injuries).

Body systems supported by osteopathy

Osteopathy is good for the muscular system. It helps to reduce muscle tension so as to facilitate better flexibility of the ligaments, joint capsule and the muscles.

Osteopathy is good for the reproductive system. It can help a pregnant woman adapt to hormonal and structural changes.

Osteopathy is good for the cardiovascular system. It can increase blood circulation and lower blood pressure, thus preventing the onslaught of heart diseases such as coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.

Where to learn more

• New report indicates more doctors now open to integrative medicine
• Medical cannabis helps heal chronic disease
• The BBC Abandons Its Complementary Medicine Website Due to Pressure
• The AMA Conspiracy to Contain and Eliminate the Practice of Chiropractic
• Acupuncture Reduces Chronic Neck Pain; Massage Benefits Still Unclear (press release)

Summary

Osteopathy can treat body pain, such as those in the muscles and joints.

Osteopathy is good for the muscular, reproductive and cardiovascular systems.

Osteopathy makes it possible for people to increase the range of motion of their joints.

Sources include:

Osteopathy-Canada.com

MedicineNet.com

EvolveOsteopathy.com

InSyncNaturalHealth.com