ABOUT OSTEOPATHY
WHAT IS OSTEOPATHY?
Founded by Dr. A.T. Still.
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is based upon the principle that the human body possesses self-healing/self regulating mechanisms that are the source of healing. The focus in treatment, therefore, goes beyond simple spinal alignment, to dealing directly with the abnormal body physiology using an array of direct and indirect techniques. This more holistic healthcare perspective, affords the Osteopath a broader spectrum of therapeutic options in addition to thrust techniques, among which are myofascial release, muscle energy, counterstrain, visceral manipulation, Osteopathy in The Cranial Field, and Biodynamics.
Dr. A.T. Still was born in 1828 in Virginia. His father was a Methodist minister and physician. Early in his life he began an apprenticeship under his father to study medicine and become a physician. Dr. Still became a licensed MD in the state of Missouri and went on to completed additional coursework at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Kansas City, MO. He also served as a surgeon in the Union Army during the Civil War.
During this time period of the mid 1800’s medical treatments were crude consisting of using small doses of poison as medicine, blood letting and what would now be considered barbaric surgeries. Dr. Still’s life changed when three of his children died from spinal meningitis in 1864. He lost hope in traditional medicine and devoted the next decade of his life to understanding the human body and creating new tools for treating diseases.
Dr. Still had a medical, mechanical mind with a humble curious nature. From this perspective he had the insight that the structures of the world around him had a specific structure for a specific function. For example the structure of a bridge is created in a specific form to hold the travel of horse and buggy. He then related this concept to the human body seeing that bones and structure are formed in a specific design for specific functions. If there is a dysfunction in the structure then there is a compromise in the function. He began to develop tools (modalities) to treat the human structure to improve health. He soon was able to cure pathologies like pneumonia by restoring normal rib function allowing the body to restore its maximum lung capacity and oxygen exchange.
His research and clinical observations led him to believe that the musculoskeletal system played a vital role in health and disease. He concluded that the body contained all of the elements needed to maintain health, if properly augmented. Dr. Still believed that by correcting problems in the body's structure, through the use of manual techniques now known as osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), the body's ability to function and to heal itself could be greatly improved. He also promoted the idea of preventive medicine and endorsed the philosophy that physicians should focus on treating the whole patient, rather than just the disease.
These beliefs formed the basis of a new medical approach,
Osteopathic Medicine.
Using this philosophy, Dr. Still opened the first school of osteopathic medicine in Kirksville, MO in 1892. He called his new system of medicine "Osteopathy" (osteon is Greek for bone), because it was based on anatomy. Dr. Still developed his methods of diagnosis and treatment by relying on the belief that the human being should be treated as a unit. A person cannot get sick in one area of his body without having other areas affected. All body systems operate in unison. He was truly the first Wholistic/Integrative Physician.
The osteopath approach is fulcrum in the functions of the patients also named the Health of the system. The goal is to remove the obstacles, augment motion present and restore Health. The image is of the body as a river with various size boulders in the river creating obstruction to the flow. Our hands are trained to interact with the boulder (restrictive tissues) and transform into sand that then falls to the bottom of the riverbed. Thus allowing the fluids to move unobstructed and health to be restored.
This broader range of diagnostic and therapeutic options, allows the Osteopathic physician to custom fit their treatment plan to the patient’s unique restrictions, respecting the fact that each of us is not necessarily meant to look and function the same way with the same structure. The goals are not symmetry and alignments as much as full functional motion with unobstructed motion to all parts of the human being.
WHAT IS
The difference between DO and MD?
The primary differences between an osteopathic physician and a chiropractor are their levels of training and philosophy of treatment and practice.
Philosophical and Technique Difference between Osteopathic Physicians (DO) and Chiropractors (DC)
The chiropractic perspective is primarily focus on the alignment of the spine, which influence the relationship between the spinal column and the nervous system. The chiropractor endeavors to influence the physiologic function of all of the organs and systems within the body by changing the position of the spinal vertebras. The chiropractor is focused on alignment of the structure of the spine. In general, most chiropractors use a high force, thrust, technique to change the position of the vertebras although some are been trained in gentler methods. Most chiropractors will also recommend repetitive adjustment on a weekly basis. There is a significant concern and potential detrimental consequence with repetitive thrust adjustments. The ligaments and tendons around the vertebra are the stabilizer of the spine. With the repeated shearing forces, which occur with thrust techniques there can be a long-term compromise to the integrity of the ligaments and tendons. Over time there could be a compromise to the stability of the integrity of the ligaments and tendons supporting the vertebra and spinal column. The only cure that I have found successful in treating a long-term chiropractic patients is treating with prolotherapy and PRP ( Platelet Rich Plasma) injections, which will help to regenerate the micro tears in the ligamentous structures.
History tells an interesting story about the connection between chiropractic and osteopathy. Daniel David Palmer is the founder of chiropractic. He was a grocer who turned magnetic healer opening his office of magnetic healing in Davenport, Iowa in 1886. DD Palmer became a patient of Dr. AT Still in Missouri and his ailment was cured. He was inspired and became a student of osteopathy with Dr. Still. He left after the first year. The story is this was secondary to “ego battles” between himself and Dr. Still. The only osteopathic technique taught in this year was “thrust” technique as they were the most basic. Palmer went on to create chiropractic techniques from his experience.
This is not to say that there are some extremely talented and effective chiropractors that have helped and continue to help many people.
FINDING A
Cranial Osteopathic Physician
Go to the cranialacademy.org website and enter in the zip code of where you would like to find a cranial osteopathic physician.
Under the graduation year is a percent, which indicates the percent that the osteopathic physician practices cranial osteopathy.
It is best to choose an osteopath whose practice is at least 90% OMM (Osteopathic Manual Medicine).
Cranial DOs Vs Cranial Sacral Therapist
The primary and most significant difference between the practice of Osteopathy in the Cranial Field and Cranio-Sacral therapy is the level of training of the practitioner.
William Garner Sutherland, DO, introduced his cranial concept in 1929. Dr. Sutherland saw Cranial Osteopathy as a modality of diagnosis and treatment to be provided by licensed physicians as part of a comprehensive osteopathic treatment. As such, it is not merely a therapy, but an integral part of the physician’s overall management of their patient’s Healthcare.
Cranio-Sacral therapy (CST) is described as a “light touch therapy” that can be provided by a practitioner with as little as 8 days of training by the Upledger Institute. The only prerequisites for entrance into the CST program are having read Dr. Upledger’s book and possession of any form of healthcare license, such as an audiologist or dietician or massage therapist, although people without any healthcare license or training are also accepted. It is left to the states, in which the craniosacral therapist resides, to become aware of their practice and to develop standards for its regulation. There is no licensing agent regulating education for craniosacral therapy.
Dr. Upledger is an Osteopath who took courses from Dr. Sutherland’s students in Cranial Osteopathy in 1975, some 8 years before he established the Upledger Institute and published his first book on CST. And although Dr. Sutherland’s concepts and techniques form the foundation of the CST model, it is Dr. Upledger’s contention that it was he alone who “pioneered and developed” CST.
The Upledger teachings are based in techniques of how to treat the cranium, which unfortunately misses the capacity to diagnosis, and thus attend to the unique individual strain patterns of patient. This is not to say that there are not some extraordinarily talented individuals using craniosacral methods to significantly help people.
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