An osteopath is a manual therapist that is concerned with self-healing & self-regulation. They work WITH your body to help it self-regulate. Learn more about what osteopathy is, what to expect on your first treatment, and the biggest reasons people seek out osteopathy.
Read the full transcript here.
Have you ever had low back pain? Hip pain? What about tension in your neck and shoulders? Or just straight neck pain?
If you’re having muscle pain (acute or chronic pain), it seems common sense to see a massage therapist or a chiropractor.
But, have you ever thought about an osteopath?
Though osteopathy is just beginning to become a mainstream term, it’s actually been around since the first school of osteopathic medicine opened in 1892.
What Is An Osteopath?
An osteopath is concerned with the self-healing and self-regulating components of the body.
They look for asymmetry within the structure and then use a variety of techniques in order to correct the asymmetry.
In lamens terms, an osteo looks at the body as a series of tubes. Any twists or turns in the tubes cause kinks.
Those kinks make it so that the body doesn’t function as effectively as it could which in turn causes everyday issues (chronic pain, discomfort, digestive stress, etc).
An osteopath strives to correct the kink in the musculoskeletal system so that the area can flow.
Benefits Of Osteopathy Treatment
It’s important to remember that osteopathy is normally not a solution all on its own. Similar to weight loss, it takes a multi-faced approach to see long-term results.
- Pain treatment (chronic pain, muscle tension)
- Alignment
- Posture correction
- Reduced symptoms for colds or infections (and boosting the immune system)
- Fertility help
- Digestive aid
- So much more
The Difference Between General Osteopathy & An Osteopathic Doctor
While they sound similar and have similar beliefs. A general osteopath is very different from that of an osteopathic doctor – especially here in Canada.
Both studies view the body as a series of systems that are interconnected. All the systems work together to help to body function optimally.
Thus, a twinge in your back is normally so much more than just an issue with your back.
However, a general osteopath is a manual therapist. They focus on the physical manipulation of the body to achieve results.
Osteopathic doctors are trained in the United States and can use a variety of tools to help bring a person's body back to optimal.
For the purpose of this podcast, we’re chatting to a general osteopath here in Canada who has a Masters Diploma in Osteopathic Manipulation from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy and is qualified to treat both humans and animals through osteopathic manipulation
Reasons To See An Osteopath
Though there are an endless amount of reasons someone might seek out treatment, below are the most common ones,
So long as it is not a medical emergency, osteopaths can help.
- Constipation (or the opposite: irritable bowl syndrome)
- Digestive issues
- Headaches
- Fertility
- Dysfunction
- Pain (neck pain, back pain, and hip pain being the most common)
- Symptoms of disease (not the disease itself!)
Osteopathy treatment is not just about the physical human body. It really works on an internal basis as well.
Frequently Asked Questions About Osteopathy
Though each situation and individual is unique, osteopaths can help treat problems like chronic pain, poor posture, injuries, discomforts, cold symptoms, and so much more.
In some ways, osteopaths are similar to physical therapists. However, osteopaths take a more hands-on approach, and work on your body physically with their hands to manipulate and fix it. Physiotherapists reply more on mobility drills, and exercises to solve the problem.
Luke Smith says
I like that you pointed out how an osteopath is concerned with the self-healing and self-regulating components of the body. My uncle got arthritis and it seems he needs some help with its management. So for that, he definitely needs to ask for osteopathic care.
fitasamamabear says
Thanks! That's one of my favorite parts about osteopathy, they don't just look at the quick fix but the longterm one. Good luck to your uncle!