Osteopathy is one of the 3 best known therapies available in the UK, the others being Physiotherapy and Chiropractic. It is predominantly available through private funding although some NHS Primary Care trusts are now making funds available for their inclusion within their services but currently this is still very limited.
The prinicples of Osteopathy are very similar to that of Chiropractic however the treatment application may differ. Because of the similarities it is more appropriate to quote two official paragraphs with regards to their professional definitions than try to reword it and get it wrong. These were both taken from the ‘General Osteopathy Council’ website where more information regarding the profession can be found.
” Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together. “
” To an osteopath, for your body to work well, its structure must also work well. So osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery. Osteopaths use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms.”
We recently hosted an educational evening with three rehabilitation specialists speaking about their professions of which one was an Osteopath. If you would like to find out more about Osteopathy from an Osteopath’s perspective, a pdf version of the presentation can be found the in ‘NB Zone’ - ‘Research and Education’ - ’Education sessions’.
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