What is Osteopathy?
Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, an Illinois-born medical doctor, was first recorded using the term "osteopathy" in 1874 to describe his philosophy of treating a vast range of medical ailments. The term "osteopath" can be misleading, as many know that "osteo" pertains to bone and "path" refers to the study of, which may suggest that osteopaths only treat disorders of the bones. However, “neuro-musculo-skeletal-opathy” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue!
At The Ashfield Practice, we live and breathe many of Dr. Still’s principles today: structure governs function, the rule of the artery, finding health, and holism.
So what is osteopathy? In Dr. Still’s own words: "It is a scientific knowledge of anatomy and physiology in the hands of a person of intelligence and skill, who can apply that knowledge to the use of man when sick or wounded by strains, shocks, falls, or mechanical derangement or injury of any kind to the body." (Still, 1902)
Over a hundred years later, osteopaths still embody the key concept of detailed anatomical study—not only of the muscles, skeleton, and nerves but also of embryology, pathophysiology (what happens when things go awry in the body), and the bio-psycho-social context of the individual, among others.
Osteopaths treat musculoskeletal problems holistically, not solely focusing on areas that may be causing pain or discomfort. They do not just "rub the sore bit"; their philosophy is to identify the underlying reasons for the problem in order to prevent recurrence or significantly decrease the frequency of historical issues.
Many osteopaths also provide aftercare advice. At The Ashfield Practice, at the end of your treatment, we will give you some "Mini Treatments" to do at home. These mimic some of the hands-on work performed during your treatment and are designed to help you recover faster.
The Committees of Advertising Practice describes osteopathy as follows:
"Osteopathy is a healthcare profession that utilises a patient-focused, physical approach to restoring, maintaining, and promoting physical and psychosocial well-being. Primarily, treatments take the form of manual therapy involving massage, mobilization, and spinal manipulation for the treatment of musculoskeletal problems. Osteopaths have been regulated by statute since 1993 and may refer to conditions for which medical supervision should be sought if they hold convincing evidence of the efficacy of their treatments."
Following a review by CAP of the Bronfort et al. review in 2010, CAP accepts that osteopaths help with a variety of medical conditions, including:
Generalized aches and pains
Joint pains, including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core OA treatments and exercise
Arthritic pain
General, acute, and chronic backache
Back pain (not arising from injury or accident)
Uncomplicated mechanical neck pain (as opposed to neck pain following injury, i.e., whiplash)
Headache arising from the neck (cervicogenic) / migraine prevention
Frozen shoulder / shoulder and elbow pain / tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences
Circulatory problems
Cramps
Digestion problems
Joint pains
Lumbago
Sciatica
Muscle spasms
Neuralgia
Fibromyalgia
Inability to relax
Rheumatic pain
Minor sports injuries and tensions.