Osteopathy - Solving blockages with the hands

The word osteopathy is composed of the Greek words "osteon" (bone) and "pathos" (suffering). But osteopathy treats more than just the bones and the musculoskeletal system. Its approach goes far beyond that, it treats the human being in its entirety. And it does so without any pills or injections. That is why more and more people trust in this holistic healing method.

Osteopathy belongs to the manual forms of therapy. It is an independent, holistic form of medicine in which treatment is carried out exclusively with the hands. It was founded by the American physician and surgeon Andrew Taylor Still (*1828). He intensively studied human anatomy and searched for ways to treat diseases and dysfunctions without drugs or surgery. Since then, the working methods of osteopathy have been continuously improved and developed. In Germany, trained osteopaths are organized in various associations.

The principle of osteopathy states that all structures and functions of the body are directly or indirectly interconnected and mutually influence each other. For this complex system to function properly, it needs the unrestricted freedom of movement of each individual element. If one part becomes imbalanced, this can have an effect on the entire organism.

For osteopathy, the so-called fasciae are of particular importance. These are thin connective tissue sheaths that surround every body structure and together form a large body fascia. They also connect structures that functionally have nothing to do with each other. This is the reason why complaints are sometimes not found at the cause, but cause pain in another part of the body. For example, a person with back pain usually does not think of a dysfunction of the stomach, although that may well be responsible for the discomfort.

The osteopath always gets to the bottom of the causes of the complaints. He does not treat the disease in the actual sense, but its triggers, for example movement restrictions. His goal is to detect and dissolve physical blockages or tissue tensions. In this way, the body's self-healing powers are restored in addition to mobility. This is because osteopathy assumes that diseases and disorders also result from a lost ability to self-regulate.

"Osteopathy sees itself as an art that leads the organism to self-correction." Quote P. Barral

There are many reasons to visit an osteopathy practice. Because this alternative medical healing method knows many areas of application:

• Musculoskeletal: joint problems, whiplash, sports injuries, back pain, lumbago, sciatica.
• Internal medicine: digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, palpitations and heart palpitations, respiratory diseases, reflux, neuralgia (nerve pain).
• ENT: headaches, migraines, sinusitis, vertigo, tinnitus, temporomandibular joint problems.
• Urology/Gynecology: incontinence, kidney problems, prostate problems, chronic cystitis, menstrual cramps, abdominal scarring and adhesions.

Osteopaths take an average of 30 to 60 minutes for the treatment. However, the exact course of treatment varies. First, a detailed medical history is taken. The complaints are explained and possible triggers are identified. In addition to age, height and weight, the osteopath may also inquire about previous illnesses, lifestyle habits, psychological or family stresses, dental or orthodontic treatments, surgical interventions, scars and previous therapy attempts.

After the anamnesis in the preliminary consultation, the examination is carried out with the hands. The therapist feels the human tissue layer by layer and senses deeper structures such as muscles, fascia, bones and the internal organs. In this way, he diagnoses movement restrictions, tensions or blockages. This requires a good sense of touch and requires years of training. Depending on the symptoms, the therapist also looks at the patient's posture while standing. This is because postural abnormalities can indicate dysfunctions in the body. After the diagnosis, the osteopath then uses various treatment techniques.

Depending on the symptoms, the therapist uses different grip techniques. In so-called joint manipulation, blocked or painful joints are made mobile again by pulling, twisting or targeted jolts. The muscle energy technique is used when tense muscles restrict mobility. By applying targeted tension against a resistance, the muscles are loosened again. The pull-counter-pull technique is also used for painful muscle tension. Here, the body is positioned in a special way and the painful tissue is relieved by light pressure from the osteopath. In addition, there is the so-called cranial and visceral therapy.

Osteopathy assumes that, in addition to breathing rhythm and pulse, there are other rhythms that occur naturally in the body, such as fluid movements between the skull, spinal cord and sacrum. These fluids carry important nutrients to the brain and nerves. An experienced therapist may notice them as a slight pulsation throughout the body. According to osteopathy, stress, tension or accidents can trigger a change in this fluid rhythm. This, in turn, is said to result in various physical impairments, such as back pain, migraines, immune deficiency, or disturbances in the respiratory and nervous systems.

The goal of cranial therapy is to stimulate or restore the free flow of fluid systems. Gentle traction and pressure movements are used in the treatment. By holding different points of the body, the connections between muscles, organs and nerves are to be brought back into a natural flow. This also allows changes to occur in different areas of the body at the same time.

Visceral osteopathy deals with the internal organs of the human body. Malfunctions of the organs can lead to malpositions of the musculoskeletal system. An experienced osteopath can sense these and attempt to restore the disturbed mobility in the abdominal and thoracic regions with gentle hand movements. The improved vitality of the organs should then provide relief from symptoms. According to osteopathy, scars and inflammations can also lead to tensions and adhesions in the body, which trigger various complaints (for example, organ sinking or incontinence). Visceral osteopathy therefore treats a variety of disorders in the areas of the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, bladder and reproductive organs.

The treatment concept of osteopathy aims to dissolve blockages and movement restrictions in order to restore physical well-being. It looks not only at the symptom, but at the body as a whole. It is treated with the power of the hands alone. In many cases it can be sufficient as the only measure against the complaints. However, it can also be used as an adjunct to other medical therapies.