| Osteopathy
What
is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy
is an established recognised system of diagnosis and treatment, which
lays its main emphasis on the structural and functional integrity
of the body.
It is distinctive by the fact that it recognises that much of the
pain and disability which we suffer stems from abnormalities in the
function of the body structure as well as damage caused to it by
disease.
[Description
by General Osteopathic Council, 28th October 1998]
What
can osteopathy help with?
Whilst back pain is the most common problem seen, osteopathy can
help with a wide varied of problems including changes to posture
in pregnancy, babies with colic or sleeplessness, repetitive strain
injury, postural problems caused by driving or work strain, children
with glue ear, the pain of arthritis and sports injuries among many
others.
Leaflets explaining many of the common treatments used are available
from the Osteopathic Information
Service.
What
can I expect when I visit an osteopath?
When you visit an osteopath for the first time a full case history
will be taken and you will be given an examination.
You will normally be asked to remove some of your clothing and to
perform a simple series of movements. This allows the osteopath to
observe the function of the relevant body areas, and begin to form
a unique picture of how your body works.
The osteopath then uses a highly developed sense of touch, called
palpation, to identify any points of weakness or excessive strain
throughout the body.
The
osteopath may need additional investigations such as x-ray or blood
tests. This will allow a full diagnosis and suitable treatment plan
to be developed for you.
How
does osteopathy work?
Osteopaths work with their hands using a wide variety of treatment
techniques. These may include soft tissue techniques, rhythmic passive
joint mobilisation or the high velocity thrust techniques designed
to improve mobility and the range of movement of a joint.
Gentle release techniques are widely used, particularly when treating
children or elderly patients. This allows the body to return to efficient
normal function.
Can
I have osteopathy on my private medical insurance?
Many
private health insurance schemes give benefit for osteopathic treatment.
Some companies will reimburse the total fee or pay a percentage of
the costs.
Contact the helpline of your insurance company who will explain the
actual benefits and methods of claim for your individual policy.
What is the status of osteopathy in the UK?
The
1993 report from the British Medical Association "Complementary
Medicine – New Approaches to Good Practice" recognised osteopathy
as a discrete clinical discipline'.
Osteopathy is the first complementary health care profession to be
accorded statutory regulation (Osteopaths Act 1993).
This
legislation came into force on 9th May 2000 requiring all osteopaths
to be registered with the GOsC.(General
Osteopathic Council )
What are the origins of osteopathy?
Andrew Taylor Still, born in 1828 in Virginia, USA, trained as a
doctor according to the system of medical education available at
the time.
As time went on he followed a different path from many of his peers,
eschewing alcohol and the habit of contemporary physicians of administering
crude drugs at their disposal in heroic quantities.
This drove him to seek new methods of treating sickness. The outcome
of his research was the application of physical treatment as a specialised
form of treatment for which he coined the name 'Osteopathy'.
In
1892 A T Still organised a school in Kirksville, Missouri, for the
teaching of osteopathy and it was from these small beginnings that
osteopathy was brought to the UK around the turn of the century.
The first school of osteopathy in the UK was set in London in 1917
and over time other schools and colleges followed.
Today
there are around 3,000 osteopaths in the UK performing over six million
patient consultations a year.
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