Osteopathy is one of the most effective and safe treatments for a great number of our health problems. It looks at the relationship between how well your body could be working to how well it is actually working at the moment. Osteopathy is really just common sense, and is very holistic. An Osteopath works with their hands on the human body to relieve strains, rebalancing interconnections between different areas of the body so improving circulation and how well that part of the body works. This leads naturally to an increase in vitality, allowing healing and relief to follow. It is also extraordinarily safe, with a risk of serious complications from treatment so low as to be virtually unmeasurable.
Osteopathy is very effective at resolving aches, pains and injuries, because it looks at the causes of a problem. It is an Osteopath's aim to stop a problem or injury from recurring by taking away those reasons that allowed it to occur in the first place.
It works according to a number of well understood and commonsense principles, combining science and art;
- a rigorous scientific knowledge base with great depth of logic and analysis
- the softer arts of understanding such as physical sensitivity, sympathy and empathy
Osteopathy does not try artificially to look at part of a problem by dividing the body into systems treated by a specialist. Instead Osteopaths are generalists, seeing a person as a whole, mind, body, spirit and environment. (If you wonder what "spirit" might mean, think about the following question; Does having a reason to be alive affect how well you are?).
In the UK Osteopathy is regulated by Government Statute, The Osteopaths Act of 1993. After many years being occasionally misunderstood and marginalised, Osteopathy today is a well established and respected profession, with patients including Doctors, MP's and members of the Royal Family. All practitioners are trained full time (or equivalent part time) for four years, and are required by the regulator to update their skills (CPD, Continual Professional Development) every year. You can be assured that Osteopathy is very safe, and one of the most effective treatments available.
Cranial Osteopathy
Classical Osteopathy
WIKIPEDIA LINKS
Osteopathy, it's history, principles and practice
Andrew Taylor Still, the Founder of Osteopathy
GOSc, the Regulatory body
EXTERNAL LINKS
The GOSc
A Research Study into Manipulation and Back Pain