What is osteopathy, types of osteopathy, difference from manual therapy

What is osteopathy, types of osteopathy, difference from manual therapy

How does osteopathy work and what does it treat

The goal of osteopathy is to improve blood circulation and biomechanics without the use of drugs. The only tool of an osteopath is his hands. An experienced doctor feels tense areas and delicately affects the muscles and ligaments without affecting the bones and spine. Therefore, osteopathic treatment is safe and acceptable even for intervertebral hernias.

In Pierre Tricot's book ""The Tissue Approach in Osteopathy"" it is said that it is communication that allows you to reach levels of life that go beyond your own body. That is, tissues indicate problems in the body, the root cause of which lies both in the consciousness of the body and in the consciousness of the person.

In the work ""Trigger points and muscle chains in osteopathy"", the authors present a model of myofascial unity, based on the union of the nervous and myofascial systems.

What is osteopathy, types of osteopathy

You can often hear the incorrect term ""manual osteopathy for the treatment of hernias"". It is worth knowing that there is a significant difference between osteopathy and manual therapy: an osteopath does not treat individual foci of the disease, but the entire body as a whole.

What is osteopathy? The main doctrine of osteopathy is based on the concept of interconnectedness of all parts of the body. If any organ is sick or injured, other body systems will regulate and compensate for its work, which can lead to pain, tension or inflammation. An osteopath helps reduce stress and minimize pain. Through tactile manipulation, it provides deep pressure and relaxation of soft tissues in problem areas. The doctor eliminates the cause of the disease, thereby restoring the balance of the entire body. How many osteopathy sessions should be prescribed is decided by the doctor during the initial examination.

There are several types of osteopathy:

  1. Cranial (craniosacral) osteopathy is a technique that includes careful manipulation of the bones of the skull.
  2. Sacral osteopathy restores the balance of the whole body.
  3. Viscellar osteopathy. Techniques of visceral osteopathy allow influencing the organs of the genitourinary and digestive systems. The doctor's hands help relieve spasms, while regulating the mobility of internal organs.
  4. Energetic osteopathy is a combination of classical methods with traditional Chinese medicine.
  5. Aesthetic osteopathy. Working with the bones of the skull, the doctor manages to restore the structure of the skin and the tone of the facial muscles.

Sometimes biodynamic osteopathy and provocative osteopathy are distinguished.

What diseases are referred to an osteopath

How does osteopathy work and what does it treat - the main question that interests patients.

An osteopath can help with the following diseases:

  • spinal hernias;
  • epilepsies;
  • osteochondrosis;
  • varicose veins;
  • scoliosis;
  • vegetovascular dystonia (VSD);
  • hemorrhoids;
  • cystitis;
  • sinusitis;
  • endometriosis;
  • enuresis;
  • fasten;
  • bronchial asthma;
  • fasciitis (inflammation of fascia).

Indications for the procedures are:

  • headache;
  • painfulness of trigger points;
  • pathology of the thyroid gland;
  • arthritis, arthrosis, coxarthrosis;
  • flat feet;
  • cellulite;
  • infertility;
  • state after a stroke;
  • pregnancy;
  • postpartum period.

Osteopathic treatment of adhesions is successfully carried out.

Osteopathy during pregnancy is not only absolutely safe, but in many ways it alleviates a woman's condition and helps her prepare for childbirth. Hypertonus of the uterus, edema, toxicosis, threat of miscarriage, back pain, preparation of pelvic bones for childbirth are the main indications for consulting an osteopath.

Osteopathic methods for babies

The principles of osteopathy for children are also based on trust in the body, which functions as a whole, and on the coordinated work of its various systems. Osteopathy is indicated for children who suffer from frequent SARS, as well as for babies after difficult childbirth, hypoxia, birth trauma.

In pediatrics, osteopaths successfully treat the following conditions:

  • consequences of birth injuries and surgical interventions;
  • hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome;
  • delay in language and intellectual development;
  • posture disorders (including scoliosis);
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • biliary tract dyskinesia;
  • violation of attention, behavior;
  • frequent acute respiratory diseases;
  • headaches, encephalopathies and other pathologies.

Read more about osteopathy methods for babies on our website https://dobrobut.com

Advantages of the method and who is contraindicated for treatment by an osteopath

Does bone osteopathy help adults? Yes, it usually helps. However, it is worth knowing about the conditions in which it is undesirable to conduct sessions. There are no absolute contraindications to the method. Exceptions are urgent (requiring immediate medical intervention) conditions.

Relative contraindications to a joint osteopathy session are:

  • acute injuries;
  • malignant neoplasms;
  • osteoporosis;
  • exacerbation of chronic infectious diseases;
  • acute mental disorders.

The undoubted advantage of osteopathy is the possibility of combining the method with other medical procedures. The following combinations have proven themselves: osteopathy and massage, osteopathy and reflexology, osteopathy and hirudotherapy.

The treatment session is painless, the patient may feel only slight discomfort in the soft tissues. Doctors must warn patients about possible unpleasant sensations. After an osteopathy session, a feeling of heaviness or slight pain may appear. This is a normal, healthy response to therapy.

The cost of the treatment course is determined by diagnostic measures, the need for consultations with related specialists and the number of prescribed procedures. The doctor can adjust the number of sessions during the treatment (usually 6-10 sessions are prescribed). The price of an appointment with a doctor at the osteopathy center varies depending on the number of procedures.

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Updated: 04.04.2025
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Doctors who advise on this issue:
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