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Osteopathic medicine was founded in the United States in the late 19th century by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still."Osteopathy is the art of diagnosing and manually treating restricted movement in body tissues that gives rise to functional disorders that can disrupt health."
Three fundamental principles emerge:
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- The body is a unit; the person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit. No single part exists independent of the whole. When even a small part of the body does not function optimally, the entire person is affected.
- The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance. The human body is always working to maintain a state of balanced function. Dr Still stated, "All the remedies necessary to health exist in the human body."
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- Structure and function are reciprocally inter-related. Dr. Still described the body as being like a machine. It has interrelated parts that need to be in proper position and to move correctly for optimal function. Therefore according to him, "Disease is the result of anatomical abnormalities followed by physiologic discord."
Osteopaths rely on their hands to identify tensions and imbalances throughout the body. The approach, which is both curative AND preventive, is based on a thorough knowledge of anatomy and physiology and a holistic view of the human body. |
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