Osteopathy
by Romain Vallon
Osteopathy is a balanced and open-spirited view of medicine that relies on both modern science and the wisdom of traditional methods.
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Based on straightforward, humane principles, Osteopathy allows both practitioner and patient to restore essential energy and balance through work on the body and its tensions.
The principles of Osteopathy
Osteopathy, is a method using the therapist’s hands as the unique tool of treatment. It involves determining and treating problems of mobility that can affect the different structures of the human body.
One
of the original aspects of Osteopathy, compared to other methods including
acupuncture
and homeopathy, is that there is no need for an intermediary
instrument between the practitioner and the patient.
This global, therapeutic approach is based on several different medical disciplines, including anatomy, biomechanics, neurology, physiology and pathology, requiring advanced studies prior to the specific training necessary to become a Osteopath.
The therapist used his hands as instruments of exploration, diagnosis and treatment. He uses the full potential of these instruments and treatment techniques as a vector, the best means of establishing a relationship and articulating the desire to heal.
But
Osteopathy goes beyond the manifestations of discomfort and disease to
trace back to past traumas that in some cases were never detected.
Indeed,
even a very minor physical or emotional event can lead to a dysfunction that
can manifest itself immediately or surface much later.
The Osteopath’s particular vision of human health and well being is radically different from the language to which we are accustomed: gastritis, tendonitis or sinus and throat infections evoke disorders affecting a specific part of the body, whereas the Osteopath considers each individual from a global, therapeutic viewpoint, where “man is an entity” well beyond the limits of a particular symptom.
“Much of today's medicine is focused on treating symptoms and not on finding the underlying causes that bring about illness or discomfort. We practice a holistic approach to medicine and focus on preventive health care. My underlying belief is that the body can, when given a chance, heal itself, and that the role of the physician is to help the patient's body do just that.”
A visit to the Osteopath
The Osteopath begins a consultation by exploring the patient’s background
and conducting a thorough investigation of his or her medical history, consulting
X-rays and medical records.
Through
a series of specific palpations, the therapist determines the areas
of
the body that lack mobility and affect the patient’s general
health. |
This initial
check-up allows the practitioner to establish a detailed diagnosis. |
The
therapist gears the bodywork sessions to locating and restoring balance
to the impaired or damaged structures. |
The
Osteopath’s
gestures are gentle and painless, and are designed to stimulate the
body’s own mobility. |
The Osteopath selects the technique that is the most comfortable, and best suited to each individual, according to his age and build. (For example, both the knee and the stomach can lose their mobility, but since they are made up of very different types of tissue, different treatment techniques are required for each.) |
The practitioner then works with his hands to stimulate the body’s physiological systems, and can apply a variety of techniques to the following areas:
The articular
system: bones, ligaments, tendons, for example the ankle, the sacroiliac,
the skull bones. |
The digestive
system: the liver, the stomach, the bladder and the intestines. |
The
vascular, respiratory, nervous and muscular systems; the fascia. |
The duration of a session will vary according to the complaint. For acute pain, two or three sessions may be sufficient. For chronic conditions, treatment may be longer, and it is a common error to believe that the absence of pain signifies the condition has been cured.
Scope of intervention
The Osteopath treats the causes of functional disorders.
The scope of dysfunctions that Osteopaths treat includes but is not limited to the following areas:
Orthopedics
and problems of mobility |
Neurology |
Cardio-vascular
disorders |
Digestive
problems |
Head – ear
nose and throat infections |
Genital and
urinary systems |
The neuro-vegetative
system |
In general,
trauma related syndromes. |
Osteopaths recognize the limits to their scope of action. They do not claim to treat all ailments, for example degenerative diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis; genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis and myopathy and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, Aids and tetanus.
Some examples of problems that can be effectively treated by a Osteopath:
Preventive medicine, to maintain good health.
This list is not exhaustive.
Disorders
occurring following a fall, a bump or an accident with injury, even
if there is no apparent connection between the event and the subsequent
problem. |
Persistent
symptoms that have not been diagnosed by the medical practitioner. |
Stress,
fatigue or simply a desire to get in touch with one’s own body. |
Re-establishing
balance and inner harmony following long medical treatments for severe
illness. |
Chronic back
pain. |
Rheumatism,
arthritis, lower back pains. |
Neuralgia,
sciatica, migraine headaches. |
More
information at www.hands-on-london.com
Or email romain.vallon@wanadoo.fr
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