What does an osteopath do and what are the benefits? What diseases do osteopaths treat? Signs of birth trauma in babies

IN Lately You can increasingly hear that new treatment methods have emerged that are an alternative to official medicine. One of these areas is osteopathy, which includes treatment using manual therapy, massage internal organs, acupuncture and other methods of influence. What is this concept? How does it affect the body? Is there any real help from such influences? Such questions arise for those who have decided to see an osteopathic doctor, but still have certain doubts. Indeed, before you trust someone with your health, you need to carefully understand these methods of medical practice.

What is osteopathy?

Osteopathy - methods of diagnosing and treating disorders that have arisen in the structural and anatomical relationships of body parts and individual organs, which are determined by a specialist using sensitivity of your hands.

These techniques do not have a common scientific basis and are not universally recognized by official medicine, although some techniques for working with patients are used in neurology in health care institutions in a number of countries. In Russia, osteopathy is allowed in certain medical institutions. institutions, and it is classified as manual therapy.

Many people include in this concept bioenergetics, homeopathy, reflexology and some techniques used in Chinese traditional medicine, but all these methods have no legal scientific basis and full evidence of their effectiveness. Experts who use osteopathy in their practice consider it a kind of complex art that they study for years. But you can begin to comprehend it only by thoroughly knowing the structure and all the subtleties of the human body. An osteopathic doctor must have a higher medical education, and if there is none, it is hardly worth trusting such a pseudo-specialist.

Speculation about osteopathy

This method of treatment has many supporters and opponents, and everyone has their own opinion on this matter.

Surprisingly, many argue that treatment is successful if the patient and the doctor match each other’s psychotype, i.e. if the patient feels comfortable during the osteopath’s sessions and trusts him.

This may be true, but not only an osteopath, but also any doctor must feel his patient - only then can positive results be achieved.

Many are disappointed by the fact that after attending a session with an osteopath, patients do not immediately feel the medical effect. Yes, skillful touches and light pressure are not a forceful massage, but you need to remember that pressing on the right points of the body is sometimes more effective than Strong arms massage therapist
Sometimes patients who have visited an osteopath begin to feel the effects from his hands only in the evening, and they are not always comfortable, although immediately after the session such discomfort did not arise. There is nothing surprising or terrible in such a reaction - this indicates that the treatment process has begun, and the doctor’s hands have a certain strength. And pain is a normal reaction of an adult body to external interference, but under such influence it will rebuild itself in a healthy way.

You can reassure such patients by the fact that with each subsequent session the pain will decrease, since between visits to the doctor the human body will undergo healing processes. Therefore, you cannot give up treatment halfway; you must complete it.

What is the difference between osteopathy and manual therapy?

The definition of “osteopathy” often includes manual therapy. Yes, they almost always accompany and complement each other, but, nevertheless, these are different techniques.

Manual therapy is a combination of the doctor’s hands on the musculoskeletal system of the body. Osteopathy, on the other hand, has a broader focus on treatment, which includes influencing various organs, managing human health and bringing the body to the “right wave”. The goals of manual therapy include relieving symptoms internal medicine, i.e. eliminating pain, while osteopathy is designed to find and treat the root of pain - the disease itself.

The advantages of osteopathy include its relative painlessness during treatment and the possibility of its use for any age categories patients ranging from babies to the elderly. Using this technique, the entire body is diagnosed, which contributes to the effectiveness of treatment. The ability of osteopathy to reduce cases of relapse of the disease to a minimum is also its advantage over manual therapy.

It should be noted that a certain connection between the methods exists, since osteopathy relies in its knowledge on many years of research by chiropractors. For an osteopathic doctor to be fluent in his profession, he must also be an excellent chiropractor.

What does an osteopathic doctor treat?

The list of diseases for which patients can contact an osteopathic specialist is very wide and multifaceted:

ENT diseases: sinusitis, chronic otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis.
Diseases of the joints and spine: scoliosis, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, osteoarthritis, arthritis and others.
Neurological diseases: intercostal neuralgia, pathological intracranial pressure, headaches, migraines and other pathologies.
Diseases respiratory system: bronchitis, bronchial asthma, inflammatory processes in the lungs and much more.
Pathologies of internal organs: stomach ulcer, cholecystitis, gastritis, liver disease, hemorrhoids, pancreatitis, hepatitis.
Women's diseases: infertility, pain during menstruation, cycle disorders.
Male diseases: prostate adenoma, prostatitis, impotence.
Injuries and surgeries: adhesions after surgery, head injury, contractures and other injuries musculoskeletal system
Pregnancy: back pain, preparation for childbirth, recovery after it.
Children's diseases: cerebral palsy, torticollis, hydrocephalic syndrome, brain dysfunction, encephalopathy, flat feet, developmental delay and much more.

In addition, every experienced osteopathic specialist can advise the patient on another problem that has arisen.

Types of osteopathy

Osteopathy can be divided into different areas, for example, pediatric, visceral, cranial, cranioxal and others.

Children's direction in osteopathy- the most important of all the others, since specialists can correct pathologies even in infancy, which at an older age are no longer amenable to treatment and will have a bad effect on general development child. For example, intracranial pressure, or birth injuries, in which children experience disturbances in the placement of cranial bones or sutures, which is especially dangerous at the exit points of the nerve processes.
Visceral osteopathy has a primary focus on the chest organs, abdominal cavity and small pelvis. Using a similar technique they treat:
- organs of the respiratory system;
- pre-infarction conditions, hypertension;
- pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract, pancreatitis, cholecystitis;
- enuresis;
- gynecological diseases;
- prostatitis and adenoma, as well as many other diseases of internal organs.
Structural osteopathy used to treat the musculoskeletal system. This is especially true for pathologies that limit the patient’s mobility: radiculitis, osteochondrosis, pain in muscles and joints, spinal hernia, scoliosis, spinal curvature. Joint diseases can also be treated: arthritis, arthrosis, structural defects of the foot and heel spurs. Structural osteopathy helps well in treating the consequences of various injuries.

Craniosacral osteopathy covers the entire brain structure of the human body - from the central nervous system to the very end of the spinal cord in the sacral region. It is used in the prevention and treatment of strokes, head injuries, intracranial pressure, pathologies of the brain's blood circulation, headaches, memory impairment or dizziness, and numerous other disorders of the neurological and mental spheres.

Cranial osteopathy is considered the most subtle technique based on the recognition of cranial rhythms ( involuntary movements) organs and systems of the body. It helps relieve stress in the tissues of the whole body and improve the psycho-emotional state. It's soft but very effective method who is good at helping people different ages. Cranial osteopathy covers different areas body - qualified specialists are good at feeling the signs of pathology in any part of the body with the help of hand touches.

There is also the so-called general osteopathy, which includes techniques for stretching and revitalizing tissue. Using circular smooth movements in the area of the peripheral joints of the body, the doctor relaxes the fascial attachments of the muscles, which normalizes the reflex relationships of the muscles with the nerves.

Contraindications to osteopathic treatment

Do not think that osteopathy is a panacea for all health problems. Just like other types of medical procedures, it has contraindications. These include a number of diseases, especially in the acute stage:

Intestinal infections: salmonellosis, dysentery, diphtheria, anthrax, cholera and other diseases that are treated with medications in a hospital setting.
Acute bleeding that requires urgent stopping.
Malignant formations.
Heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and other acute pathologies.
Blood diseases.
Mental disorders.

Contraindications include a number of other severe acute diseases that require intervention traditional medicine. When contacting an osteopath, you must inform him or her so as not to harm your body.

The use of osteopathy for certain diseases

Very often, patients ask questions about whether osteopathic treatment is possible during pregnancy, whether such a technique helps with pathologies of the spinal column or with epilepsy. Yes, these conditions or diseases are within the scope of practice of doctors of similar medicine.

Osteopathy during pregnancy can be used to relieve general condition women, relieving the symptoms that occur in this condition:

toxicosis;
hypertonicity of the uterus;
joint or back pain;
swelling;
threat of early birth.

Osteopathy is also used to prepare a woman for the most crucial moment, provoking mobility of the pelvic bones, which will facilitate childbirth and relieve possible injuries to the newborn.

During treatment herniated discs or osteochondrosis The osteopath must find out and eliminate the root cause of the disease. This may be a curvature of the spine or incorrect posture, postoperative scar or trauma that affected the pathological displacement of the vertebra, etc. A specialist can determine the cause of the hernia and eliminate it by relaxing the muscles and restoring their tone. As a result, nutrition improves intervertebral disc, and it partially normalizes the shape, reducing pressure on the nerve processes and relieving excruciating pain. Sometimes this method even helps to cancel the operation.
Epilepsy treated with cranial osteopathy, when the doctor uses his hands to various areas skull in order to normalize venous and arterial blood flow. This allows you to increase the time between attacks, relieves the patient from seizures and stops the development of epilepsy.

Basics of osteopathy on video

Vertical diagnostics

Lying on your stomach

How to find an osteopath and the price of an appointment

You can find a good osteopathic doctor by asking your friends. If you don’t find any, you can look at clinics on the Internet, and it’s better to rely on the reviews of those who have already undergone treatment there. Doctors of this specialization work in private clinics or in physiotherapeutic hospitals.
When choosing an osteopath, be sure to ask if he has diploma of higher medical education, since training courses for osteopaths are not enough to provide qualified assistance. Don’t lose sight of his work experience in this profile. Remember that you trust him with your health or the health of loved ones. An osteopathic doctor may turn out to be an ordinary charlatan who will not only not cure you, but will also cause serious damage to the condition of the body.
The price for a session with a doctor of this specialization varies from 300 to 2500 rubles. It all depends on the depth of the problem, and, of course, on the qualifications of the osteopath and his personal self-esteem.

Before contacting a specialist of this profile, It's best to consult a doctor, where you usually receive treatment. Find out if you have the above-described contraindications to the use of this technique. If you nevertheless decide to undergo treatment with this technique, be sure to tell your osteopathic specialist about all your problems - perhaps he himself will see the contraindications.

In contact with

Classmates

At complex violations the body may require the help of an osteopath. This is a certified specialist who is able, with the help of impeccable hand technique, to determine the source of pathology already at early stage its development. Such prompt actions allow you to quickly begin treatment and speed up the patient’s recovery process.

There are many doctors, each with their own specialization. An osteopath is a specialist who offers a non-invasive diagnostic method without involving medical devices and special equipment. By contact palpation, he identifies a diseased organ or muscle, an affected bone structure or another “segment” of an organic resource. An osteopath knows anatomy perfectly and is engaged in identifying and treating the vast majority of diseases of the body. He is an “unconventional” doctor, but this does not diminish his demand among the masses.

Osteopathic doctor - what treats

This doctor practices manual techniques, which are especially relevant in a number of clinical situations. The proposed diagnosis with subsequent prescription of intensive therapy has minimal amount contraindications, rarely provokes complications even in a child’s body. If you turn to an osteopath, not all patients know what this doctor treats. If we talk about the scope of activity of this highly specialized specialist, existing diseases And clinical pictures, which you can quickly get rid of, are presented below:

weakened immune system;
childbirth, lactation period;
stressful situations;
tachycardia;
disturbed sleep phase;
nervous and mental disorders;
spinal problems of unknown etiology;
systematic migraine attacks;
impaired blood pressure to a lesser or greater extent;
overweight, one of the forms of obesity.

How does an osteopath treat

Manual therapy is a painless practice of diagnosing and effective treatment, which involves identifying problem areas on the body and in the body by palpation. If you are interested in how an osteopath works, there are many videos that show this certified specialist in action. You can go to a specialized clinic and have no doubt that professional help will be provided in a timely manner.

Before treating, an osteopath requires that tests, ultrasound and MRI results be prepared in advance. This is extremely important for the completed session to be as effective as possible. Osteopathy is a relatively new direction in modern medicine, which requires monitoring the patient’s health in all respects. The doctor determines where special points are located on the body, by using which you can achieve stable and long-term positive dynamics of the disease. The main thing here is not to cause harm due to your inexperience.

Children's osteopath

This is not only an adult doctor; a specialist even treats newborns with extensive birth injuries and congenital diseases. For those who are not aware of what an osteopath does, it’s time to remind you that such a children’s doctor successfully treats dysplasia hip joints, impaired intracranial pressure, while productively eliminating problems of the spine, systemic blood flow and nervous overstrain. If you do everything that an osteopath says for children, there is a chance of leaving most congenital pathologies in the past in the first year of life.

Osteopath for babies

If a child requires a neurologist after birth, it would be better to have an osteopathic neurologist who offers soft and gentle methods successful treatment. The principle of operation is to identify the problem area, and then eliminate it using a course of corrective massage. If you do such procedures 3-4 times in the first year of life, the child’s spine will very soon become stronger, and the baby will begin to develop ahead of his age. In the future, the process of learning at school will be much easier for him.

If adults choose an osteopath for a baby, how such a specialist can help, the local pediatrician will tell you. Undergoing an osteopathic session without prior consultation is fraught with danger unpleasant consequences Moreover, this specialist will not be able to help if the results of laboratory and clinical examinations are not available.

Osteopath and chiropractor - differences

Osteopathy is a fascinating and little-studied medical field. Moreover, it is often confused with manual therapy and a specialist who practices this technique. There is a difference, although to the average person it may seem insignificant. If the task of an osteopath is to determine the cause of the pathological process and eliminate it in a timely manner, then the goal of a chiropractor is to suppress alarming symptoms in any of its manifestations.

This is one of the arguments that distinguishes an osteopath from a chiropractor. In addition, the osteopath influences soft fabrics, while a specialist in manual therapy focuses exclusively on bone structures. It is better to treat the child with the first specialist, since intensive therapy of the second is accompanied by acute pain syndrome. If an osteopath is needed for treatment, it is better to find out who it is in advance.

Video: appointment with an osteopath

Svetlana, 41 years old

For a long time I did not understand what an osteopath does and why this specialist is needed. I found out when I was treating a pinched cervical vertebra. My review is positive; moreover, from now on I am convinced that osteopathy is the basis of medicine. 7 sessions were enough for me to move my neck normally again, without writhing in pain and not ruining the nerves of the whole family.

Cranial osteopathy helped me with my health. For a long time I suffered from severe headaches; no pills could help relieve the attack. This is where I found out who an osteopathic doctor is. It became easier after the first appointment, but I went through 8 more sessions. As a result, migraine attacks are a thing of the past, and I feel much better. My review is positive.

An osteopath I know gave me a course visceral massage For fast weight loss. So in a safe way I managed not only to get rid of 6 kg in 2 months, but also to normalize intestinal function and improve metabolism. I’m simply delighted with my new weight, I’ve gone 2 sizes smaller and I’m not going to stop with the results I’ve achieved.

The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

Osteopathy includes three areas:
structural – solves problems of the musculoskeletal system,
visceral - deals with internal organs,
cranio-sacral - regulates the relationship between the bone structures of the skull, pelvis and spine, and also normalizes tension
the formation of the dura mater.

Indications for osteopathy:
pain in the back and joints, herniated intervertebral discs, lumbodynia, ischalgia, lumbago, numbness of the fingers, intercostal neuralgia, postural disorders, scoliosis, arthrosis, arthropathy, neuralgia, fatigue pain in the spine, consequences of spinal injuries, flat feet, consequences of traumatic brain injuries , consequences of surgical interventions, headache (migraine), dizziness, sleep disturbance, feeling of heaviness in the head, swelling, congestion in organs, hypertension and hypotension of neuro-vegetative origin, vegetative-vascular dystonia, diseases of the digestive system, pain in the stomach, biliary dyskinesia, constipation, flatulence, problems genitourinary system, enuresis, decreased potency, erectile dysfunction, diseases of the respiratory system, chronic bronchitis, consequences of pneumonia, some types bronchial asthma, diseases of the ENT organs: rhinitis, tonsillitis, tinnitus, gynecological diseases: uterine fibroids, dysmenorrhea, algomenorrhea, infertility, fibrous tube obstructions, problems during pregnancy: toxicosis, impaired uterine tone, psychoemotional reactions, perinatal lesions of the central nervous system, delay mental development, hypertonicity, neuroses, memory loss.

Indications for osteopractice:
any violations of tissue mobility, decreased functionality of the self-regulation system, accompanied by deterioration in the functioning of the internal organ systems, spine, musculoskeletal system, and decreased quality of life.

Osteopathy* is a modern, actively developing branch of medicine, which has a 130-year history of successful use in countries North America and Europe.

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Based on fundamental scientific knowledge anatomy, physiology, biomechanics (the science of joint movement) and reflex mechanisms of the nervous system, osteopathy takes our understanding of the body to a new high level.

The basis of the scientific approach in osteopathy is a holistic vision of a person, including an understanding of the interaction of various internal systems of the body. Using a synthesis of data from objective research methods (fluoroscopy, ultrasound, blood and urine tests, Dopplerography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and information from special tests performed manually, an osteopath is able to determine where the disease begins, where the body’s adaptive mechanisms have failed.

The hands of an osteopath are a perfect instrument, tuned to determine the smallest deviations in the structure of tissues, the position of organs and the spine. Similar high sensitivity achieved by many years of training in osteopathic school. In our country, all osteopaths are doctors, in addition to higher medical education and a basic specialty (traumatology or neurology), who have completed an additional 4-year training under the European or American program.

Having determined the source of the ailment, the osteopath, using a large arsenal of soft, precise and highly effective manual techniques, eliminates it. But just relieving pain is not enough for full treatment. It is very important to restore symmetry to the body, to bring balance to joints, muscles and organs in general. And then such a balanced organism will be resistant to any external influences, injuries, infections, geomagnetic anomalies, and stress. Similar prevention future diseases occupies an important place in osteopathy.

There are several factors that make osteopathy effective and attractive.

1) The first is a holistic vision of the human body. Osteopaths do not divide the body, like doctors of classical medicine, into a dozen separate, almost unrelated functional systems. Try asking a gastroenterologist about the treatment of kidney diseases - if he graduated from college long enough, your answer will be a recommendation to look in a reference book or consult with a specialist nephrologist. Osteopaths understand that everything in the body is interconnected and damage to the heart will affect the brain, kidneys, digestive system, and damage to the lungs can affect the functioning of the kidneys and other distant organs. Carrying out diagnostics, The osteopath examines the whole person, including its musculoskeletal system, internal organ system, nervous system, biochemical indicators, psycho-emotional status and much, much more. Well-being can be completely affected various factors, which are taken into account by osteopaths who have accumulated extensive clinical material over the years of research and practice and created optimal treatment algorithms.

2) Second - search root causes diseases. Osteopaths are interested in treating the root pathology that is most relevant to the state of the body and health, and not in “treating” symptoms. An osteopath will always try to understand what caused the development of the disease and his answer will not be “decreased immunity, infection, stress...”, but will be related to “why the immunity decreased, why the infection developed”, “what disorder in the body preceded the infection and allowed the disease to develop.”

3) An important aspect osteopathic practice is attention to good innervation and blood supply to tissues and organs. When nutrition and control are disrupted, the function of any system is upset, and illness appears. The cause of the disorder may be injuries, which leave behind displacements of the vertebrae, bones, and muscle spasms. Structures that are displaced from their place will compress the nerves, causing neurological disorders, ischalgia, lumbago in the legs, similar to a herniated intervertebral disc, and blood vessels - manifested by headaches, dizziness when compressed vertebral artery. By returning the vertebrae to their place, the osteopath frees up the circulation of life-giving fluids, after which the functioning of the organs is normalized.

4) Osteopaths practically do not prescribe medications. Osteopathic treatment is based on manual treatment. However, this is not massage, not manual therapy or chiropractor a - “crunch therapy”. Osteopathic techniques are very precise soft movements of the hands with the relaxation of spasming muscles and the direction of organs, vertebrae, and bones into a normal physiological position.

5) Osteopaths attach great importance to working with the spine and bones. The spine is the seat of the spinal cord, and through spinal cord there is control innervation to all areas of the body and organs. When the vertebrae are displaced, not only does it occur back pain or neurological disorders. Displacement of the vertebrae is also a reflex disorder in the functioning of the cardiovascular, bronchopulmonary, digestive, immune, endocrine and many other systems. Returning to the vertebrae correct position and freedom of movement, you can significantly increase the level of health of the body.

6) Extensive research in the field of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry provide osteopathy with proven information and direction for effective therapeutic manipulations.

7) All graduates osteopaths undergo four-year training according to the European or American program and pass international exams. In Russia, all osteopaths are also doctors, many of whom, before coming to osteopathy, had extensive clinical practice and personal experience.

8) By influencing areas that are significant for the body, performing general healing and balancing the nervous system, osteopathy is a powerful tool prevention diseases.

9) The costs of conservative and preventive treatment are tens of times less than the costs of inpatient and surgical treatment, and the effectiveness of osteopathic effects is higher.

10) Gentle osteopathic manipulations are comfortable for the patient, promote the release of endorphins, relaxation and general harmonization.

11) Having completed a course of osteopathic treatment, functional systems bodies are capable of much more adaptation and resilience to adverse external influences.

12) Positive effects treatments are observed after the first session osteopathic correction and are consolidated within 4-8 sessions, which is much less than with other functional treatment methods (manual therapy, reflexology).

13) A large number of osteopathic techniques allows you to choose individual programs for each patient.

14) The possibility of dosing, safety and targeted osteopathic effects allows treatment from the first days of a child’s life until old age.

15) Spectrum breadth curable diseases, which include headaches, back pain, radiculitis, protrusions, herniated intervertebral discs, scoliosis, osteochondrosis, various neuralgia, edema, arthrosis and arthritis, varicose veins veins lower limbs, leg cramps, glenohumeral periarthritis, pinched sciatic nerve (sciatica), numbness of the fingers, muscle hypertonicity, flat feet, dysfunction digestive tract and many, many others make osteopathy a leader among alternative treatments.

Osteopathy in Russia certified and is recognized as a specialty part of traditional medicine since 2003, as part of medicine since 2013.

IN currently in Russia there are several international osteopathic schools and many private clinics using the method of oseopathy.

You can watch additional information on the “health osteopractice” method, video lessons on self-help and self-healing techniques, and fragments of seminars on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to the channel to receive the latest videos on osteopathy!

We invite everyone who is interested in body-oriented correction methods - osteopathy, osteopractice, as well as massage, manual therapy, applied kinesiology - to our VKontakte and Facebook groups. Here you will find an interesting circle of communication, as well as materials on the development of palpation, osteopathic diagnosis and correction, craniosacral therapy - from the simplest techniques to the “advanced”. Articles, thematic videos on “spine”, “techniques on the skull”, “viscerology”, joint discussions - everything for osteopaths and their patients.

Welcome to the Osteopractic Center of Alexander Evgenievich Smirnov.

Our employees are professionals in their field, specialists with hundreds and thousands of cases of successful healing behind them, who have completed training under the program of the Alexander Smirnov School of Osteopathy and many post-graduate seminars of foreign specialists.

Cozy atmosphere, friendly administrators, convenient transportation - 5 minutes walk from Tretyakovskaya metro station.

Our knowledge and experience will help your health!

Briefly about osteopathy:

Osteopathy is a modern and safe method of healing, one of the most popular medicinal methods treatment in the United States of America and Europe for more than 130 years.

Osteopathy is a method of complex correction of the WHOLE human body, including the spine, internal organs and the bone system and other structures of the skull.

Osteopathy is one of the most effective methods of treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system, using mainly soft techniques to influence muscles, ligaments, joints and bones.

Osteopathy is a solution to many health problems for a child and a pregnant woman.

Osteopathy is a huge holistic treatment system, including more than three and a half thousand therapeutic techniques and requiring a high level of education and preliminary special osteopathic training from the doctor.

Osteopathy is a unique system of therapy, which is a bridge between classical medicine and traditional manual methods treatments that select the most valuable, painless, safe and scientifically proven.

Osteopathy is the key to restoring the body’s self-regulation system, improving quality of life, stress resistance, longevity and stable health.

Osteopractic is a new direction of healing that has existed in Russia for more than 8 years, built on the principles formulated by the founder of osteopathy, Andrew Taylor Still.

The main postulate of osteopractice is the recognition of the self-regulation system as responsible for the process of restoration of the body.

The work of an osteopractor is to test disorders and abnormalities in the body - in the position and mobility of bones, organs, muscle tension, fixation of vascular and nerve pathways.

The specialist does not use any instrumental methods in addition to the sensitivity of his hands and an excellent knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

Having determined the leading place of violation, the osteopractor helps the body to activate the process of self-regulation, using specially designed safe practices tissue support.

At the same time, no rough manipulations or adjustments are performed, there are no clicks, pain or suffering.

All effects are based on natural healing processes inherent in the human body and do not involve direct therapeutic manipulations.

That is why many classically trained osteopaths, doctors, chiropractors, neurologists, and pediatricians are trained in the Osteopractic program, receiving new effective methods of helping the body.

You can find out more about the School of Osteopractic on the Osteopractic Project website page.

At the “Osteopractic Center” of Alexander Smirnov, specialists, in addition to classical European education in osteopathy, are trained in the “osteopractice”, “osteosyniatry”, “biointegration” program. These specialized training programs significantly expand the capabilities of a specialist, allowing him to directly influence the body’s self-regulation system, obtaining healing effects.

Work of the Osteopractic Center

Before making an appointment with a specialist, you must consult your attending physician or a neurologist at your place of residence. It is also advisable to perform radiography or magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical and lumbar spine, ultrasound duplex study neck vessels, ultrasound of the abdominal organs. These studies will help exclude severe structural pathology and abnormalities of organ development. Being a functional method of healing, osteopractice can “work wonders,” but only within the capabilities of the body’s self-regulation system.

When choosing a specialist to conduct a health improvement course, you can use the materials in the section “ Osteopractists of our Center", or consult in detail by phone with the Center administrator.

At the first session, the osteopractor of the Center you have chosen will advise you, tell you about osteopractice and its capabilities in improving the health of your body, perform testing and osteopractical correction and improvement, and draw up a plan for further sessions.

Information about all initial consultations is processed personally by Dr. Alexander Evgenievich Smirnov with recommendations for further tactics of osteopractical correction.

At the 5-6th session, all clients of the Center are provided with foot orthoses as a gift using the New Zealand technology of Formtotics with Futmaster orthoses. These wonderful arch support insoles are effective in the prevention and correction of flat feet, reduce the impact load on the spine, and also allow you to consolidate the results of osteopathy by optimizing the musculoskeletal system during everyday walking.

Pre-registration for appointments can be made by calling:

Students with higher medical education can undergo initial retraining and certification in the physical therapy and reflexology training program on the basis of the departments of partner universities of the School of Practical Osteopathy “Osteopraktika Project”

*Articles on osteopathy and the work of an osteopath are for informational purposes only and are not an advertisement for services.

A non-traumatic method of treatment, carried out without drugs, but with the help of hands, is osteopathy. The formulation of the method contains the answer to the question: who is an osteopath, how does he diagnose and treat? This is a highly qualified specialist whose “eyes” are his hands.

Who is an osteopath and what does he do?

If we delve deeper into the question, who is an osteopathic doctor, I would like to talk about the origin of the word. “Osteopathy” comes from the Greek ὀστέον - bone + πάθος - illness, disease. It becomes clear that the osteopath is engaged in treatment skeletal system, but the scope of activity of a doctor specializing in osteopathy is much broader. A specialist is able to identify the slightest pathologies in embryonic states (when modern devices they are not recognized) in almost all organs and systems of our body.

Who is an osteopath and what does he treat?

When considering the question of what an osteopath treats, you should list the main problems with which people go to this specialist:

diseases of the ENT organs;
respiratory system;
neurological diseases;
diseases of the reproductive system;
pathological changes in the digestive organs;
joint diseases and diseases of the spinal column;
various injuries and operations;
complications during pregnancy;
childhood diseases (cerebral palsy, flat feet, developmental delays, torticollis, etc.).

Chiropractor and osteopath - what is the difference?

Many people do not understand the difference between the concepts of “osteopath” and “ chiropractor", the differences of which are not significant, due to the fact that osteopathy contains manual therapy techniques. The main differences between these methods:

A chiropractor works only on the musculoskeletal system, while an osteopath covers almost all systems of the human body.
Manual therapy is used based on obvious symptoms, and osteopathy looks for the cause of symptoms and influences the factors that caused the disease.
The osteopathic technique involves gentle and painless recovery and relaxation. Manual therapy methods are more stringent, aimed at stretching, pressing, and realignment.
Answering the question, who is an osteopath in contrast to a chiropractor? This doctor uses adaptive mechanisms, while a chiropractor applies mechanical influence on muscles, ligaments and joints.
Relapses after osteopathic methods of therapy are minimal, which cannot be said about manual therapy.

Osteopathy - indications and contraindications

When considering treatment with osteopathy, you first need to find out in what cases it is appropriate and indicated, and when you should refuse the services of an osteopath. Any therapy method has its own characteristics, so it is important to take everything into account so as not to cause harm when choosing one method or another. Osteopathy, treatment and diagnosis involves the use of techniques that are dangerous to use for a number of ailments.

Osteopathy - indications for treatment

Osteopathy has indications for treatment, and the main problems that are supposed to be treated with its help are:

headaches and dizziness;
poor posture;
malocclusion:
postoperative period;
high and low pressure;
epilepsy;
traumatic brain injuries;
gynecological problems;
various pathologies during pregnancy;
frequent colds;
developmental delay;
deterioration of memory and attention;
prostate diseases.

Osteopathy – contraindications to treatment

The other side of the coin is osteopathy, contraindications, which include:

mental disorders;
bleeding and blood diseases;
acute forms of spinal and cerebral circulation;
heart failure;
oncology;
tuberculosis;
acute infectious diseases;
thrombosis;
spinal, joint and traumatic brain injuries.

When should you contact an osteopath?

Health problems arise for everyone, and everyone would like to choose methods and methods of therapy that would not only be highly effective, but also have no side effects. Another indicator that people pay attention to is financial accessibility. Osteopathy – in many cases becomes the best option. The question of when to contact an osteopath requires not only a detailed consideration of the diseases that the specialist treats, but also special cases when, for example, diagnostic measures have not revealed the cause of poor health.

In addition to the presence of diseases that are already known, you should contact a specialist in sulfur osteopathy if:

I suffer from frequent pain (headaches and in the back).
Symptoms disappear during vacations or long breaks from work.
A burning sensation between the shoulder blades when sitting at a desk for many hours, stiffness and pain in the cervical region.
The condition worsens after driving a car for a long time. Nothing bothers you while driving.
Disturbs the sciatic nerve.

What does an osteopath check?

There is an opinion that an osteopath is engaged in the search for health, not disease, and it has all the prerequisites to be true. Osteopath – who is this in a deep understanding? Osteopathic doctor - specialist alternative medicine, who is looking for opportunities to direct the work of our body towards self-healing, due to the natural data laid down from birth. That is, this specialist is engaged in searching for the causes of pathological conditions and ways to help get rid of them painlessly and without drugs.

To have a clear picture, you should find out how the initial examination and consultation with an osteopath goes.

When going to an appointment, you must take all the results of preliminary diagnostic studies available (tests, x-rays, MRI, etc.)
The specialist will conduct an examination (palpate problem areas, check for asymmetry of shapes, color changes, etc.)
A number of tests are carried out to help diagnose diseases.

After the initial examination, ways to get rid of diseases and their symptoms through correction are outlined. Osteopathic techniques may include work:

with the skull and central nervous system;
with ligaments, bones, muscles, tendons;
fascial approach;
psychosomatic components;
biodynamic approach.

It is better to prevent diseases than to treat them later, so it is worth reconsidering your lifestyle. Any osteopathic doctor can give sensible advice on how to improve the quality of life by adhering to certain rules.

Nutrition. Ideally you should eat in small portions 4-5 times a day. Carbohydrates are preferable in the morning, in the evening - protein food. It is important to comply drinking regime. Alcohol and coffee - exclude.
Rest. You need to go to bed at the same time. The duration of night's rest should be 7-8 hours. Sleep occurs during the daytime, but its duration is 1.5-2 hours.
Medications. Uncontrolled use of drugs can only aggravate the condition, so before taking them you need to consult a specialist.
Loads. It is useful to exercise several times a week. This is especially important for those who lead sedentary lifestyle life due to sedentary work. Movement improves everything metabolic processes and relieves unnecessary stress.
Modern gadgets. Cell phones It is better to turn it off at night; it is not advisable to place computer equipment in the bedroom.
Hormonal problems. This point concerns mainly women. Often the menstrual cycle and headaches are interconnected, so it would be a good idea to contact an endocrinologist to select hormonal medications for this period.

Doctor relying on his medical practice exclusively on hand technique - this is an osteopathic doctor. His work provides an individual approach to each patient, since it is precisely because of the uniqueness of each organism that the effectiveness of treatment varies. Osteopathy, in contrast to drug and invasive treatment methods, is more soft method, having practically no unwanted effects and side effects. This happens because it is focused on activating and restoring the body's resources.

Principles and Fundamentals of Osteopathy

Today this science is actively developing. Osteopathy has main principle, which says that one organ cannot be sick. If one thing hurts, this indicates a disease in the body as a whole. Therefore, in order to find and eliminate the root cause, you need to fully diagnose it. At the same time, the osteopathic doctor does not use any instruments or devices, and he also does not write prescriptions. His method is to use his hands on certain points located on the body, and thus he heals the affected organ.

A very important feature of an osteopath is a complete knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. And thanks to his sensitive hands, he can recognize the damaged organ and make the correct diagnosis.

What kind of doctor is an osteopath?

Osteopaths – who are they? Most patients think about this question when deciding to see this doctor.

First of all, this is a specialist who, with the help of palpation, can determine both the condition of the entire body and its individual organ, as well as muscles and bone structure. By pressing on certain points of the body, he treats diseases. But before starting this activity, the doctor must undergo special training.

With the help of his hands, he helps the body, adjusting the functioning of all systems in the right way, and can relieve any pain, including muscle pain, and relieve stress and tension. His work is not like that of other doctors. It is connected, first of all, with knowledge of physiology and anatomy. After all, without them it is impossible to eliminate all the problems that interfere with the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, those osteopaths who are competent in this technique are considered qualified. These are advanced specialists in the field of the body's nervous system and spinal functions.

Scope of activity of an osteopath

This doctor's manual techniques can help with tachycardia, stress and related disorders of the body. With the help of an osteopath's hands, the body's recovery processes are significantly accelerated. Osteopathy is very popular among women after childbirth. After all, with its help you can normalize hormonal background and the functioning of the body as a whole.

An osteopath can also deal with emotional and mental disorders. People with constant headaches, metabolic and sleep disorders are recommended to visit this specialist, since a regular therapist is not able to cope with these types of problems.

Who is osteopathy indicated for?

So, having dealt with the question “Osteopaths – who are they?”, it is necessary to find out what their responsibilities are and what they should do.

With the help of manual therapy, the doctor conducts absolutely safe diagnosis and treatment. A visit to a specialist is recommended for people experiencing back pain, spinal problems, arthritis, rheumatism, arthrosis, and scoliosis.

In case you are tormented frequent dizziness, high or low blood pressure, headaches, feeling of nausea, you are also advised to visit this specialist.

Another question: “Osteopaths – who are they?” should be of interest to people who are overweight. This doctor can normalize metabolism in the body, thereby improving the functioning of all organs and promoting weight loss.

In what cases is an osteopath needed?

There are times when contacting a specialist who performs diagnostics using hands, that is, a chiropractor, is simply necessary. If your child was injured at birth or has colic, various types of deformities that occurred during childbirth, delayed psychomotor development or damage to the central nervous system, diseases gastrointestinal tract, scoliosis, spinal problems, poor posture, he needs a pediatric osteopath.

As for adult patients, treatment in this specialist Simply necessary for those who have serious problems with the musculoskeletal system. No less effective will be its help with gynecological problems, unforeseen consequences of operations and various injuries, frequent colds and sinusitis, migraines and headaches, bronchitis, gastrointestinal disorders, diseases of the ENT organs.

Women who are expecting a child and have a threat of miscarriage, increased swelling and severe toxicosis, and lower back pain should also visit an osteopath. It will also be useful in preparing for childbirth and fetal correction. It is also necessary to visit this specialist after childbirth.

Necessary tests when visiting an osteopath

When you make an appointment with this doctor, you need to keep in mind that he will prescribe certain tests. With their help, a specialist can draw up full picture state of the body, problems of its functioning and correctly eliminate existing problems. The types of tests depend on what problems you have addressed to a doctor such as an osteopath.

Regardless of the diagnosis, general tests of urine, blood from a vein, and stool are mandatory. They enable the specialist to identify possible hidden problems that caused the occurrence of a particular disease. There are cases when in clinics or medical centers The doctor has the opportunity to independently take the necessary tests. Thanks to this, the process of obtaining information about the functioning of the patient’s body is significantly accelerated.

Diagnostic methods used by an osteopath

Osteopathy is a rather interesting science, because treatment here is carried out using palpation and hands.

Absolutely every good osteopath has the skill of working with his hands. This method makes it possible to identify anomalies and disturbances in the functioning of the body already at the first examination, and most importantly, to eliminate these problems in a timely manner by prescribing the right solution. This is facilitated by special signal points located on the body.

Magnetic resonance diagnostics and ultrasound examination are also mandatory.

When a patient presents with problems related to the spine or skull bones, craniosacral osteopathy and hardware reflexology are used.

In people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, joints, and back pain, diagnosis is carried out using the method of structural osteopathy.

The method of visceral osteopathy will help identify problems associated with internal organs.

How to avoid health problems

To maintain your health, you must follow the advice of a doctor such as an osteopath. We know what it cures. These are many diseases. A large number of problems with internal organs are associated with incorrect position spine. Therefore, you must always keep your back straight.

The key to the normal functioning of the entire body is balanced diet and healthy sleep. If you always get enough sleep and eat right, you will not experience stress, frustration and nervous exhaustion.

It is necessary to visit a specialist annually to identify problems in a timely manner and cure them. This allows you to maintain the normal functioning of the nervous system and the body as a whole, as well as quickly recover from various types of injuries. By following these simple tips, you can live for many years without having serious problems with health.

Now you can answer the question: “Osteopaths - who are they?” Knowledge and power are in the hands of a specialist such as an osteopath. Prices for its services can be found at any medical institution.

In contact with

Osteopath is a specialist with a medical education who is involved in improving the health of the human body through integrated approach to the problem. The main task of an osteopath is to establish the cause of a malfunction in the body and eliminate it.

The use of osteopathic techniques is possible at any age in both sexes. The possibility of using this method of treatment and restrictions on its use will be assessed by an osteopath only during an individual examination of the patient.

What is osteopathy

Osteopathy is a branch of medical science. She views the human body as a single system in which each organ functions in close connection with all other organs. In addition, organs are in constant motion. The occurrence of an obstacle to the movement of an organ, a disruption in the functioning of any cell, affects the health of the entire organism.

Based on this, disruption of the functioning of one of the organs leads to an increase in the load on others. Work with constant overload on other organs long time can not. As a result of such shifts, fertile ground appears for the development of diseases.

The same external manifestations diseases (for example, back pain as a result of vertebral displacement) vary from patient to patient different reasons. Therefore, it is not enough just to eliminate the symptom, it is necessary to influence the cause of suffering.

The body, from the point of view of an osteopath, strives for self-healing. The osteopath's task is to push him towards this. An osteopath deals with it by influencing certain areas of the body, pressing on the necessary points, stretching the corresponding muscle tendons. By giving the right impetus to action, the osteopath forces the human body to connect internal mechanisms to eradicate the cause of the disease.

What diseases does an osteopath treat?

Based on the basic principles described above, an osteopathic doctor deals with the following diseases:

An osteopath is able to eliminate the negative consequences of previous injuries.

Principles of influence on the body

A qualified osteopathic doctor influences the patient’s body without using any painful techniques. A specialist in this field does not need to resort to bitter pills, unpleasant injections and traumatic operations. An osteopath has skillful hands, a smart head, kind heart, a deep understanding of the basic functioning of the human body.

Osteopathy involves a complex effect on the body, and not the treatment of a specific organ. This approach uses a minimum number of procedures. All procedures are safe and painless even for tiny children. At the same time, the result of such an impact is felt very quickly. This method doesn't have large number contraindications and restrictions. This allows it to be used in cases in which other methods of treatment are powerless.

The technique does not involve the use of expensive medicines, which, moreover, also have a negative effect on the patient’s body.

Contraindications to the technique

There are certain conditions in which an osteopathic doctor is forced to recommend that the patient abandon this treatment method, or combine it with others. This is determined during the examination of the patient.

Contraindications for use are the following life-threatening conditions:

Possibility of use in children

A pediatric osteopath diagnoses and treats pathology in young patients. A number of pathological conditions in children can be corrected using osteopathic techniques. In this case, the osteopath does not need to use painful and sometimes traumatic treatment methods.

Correction of pathologies in newborns is possible if they are detected in a timely manner. It is best if the baby is shown to a specialist - an osteopath no later than the 14th day of life. Mommy should take care of examining her baby in the following cases:

You should not neglect a consultation with an osteopath even if the child has a deformed skull. This may be a manifestation of the consequences of a difficult birth or impaired development of the skull bones. It must be remembered that a deformed skull is not only a cosmetic defect. First of all, this shape of the skull negatively affects the functioning of brain structures.

Parents should remember that visiting an osteopath does not exclude consultation with a pediatrician. Examination of a child by two specialists always complements each other.

What examinations will an osteopath need?

To more accurately delve into the cause of the disease, it is very important for an osteopath to carry out the following diagnostics:

general blood analysis;
Analysis of urine;
CT scan;

Special research techniques will also be needed - hardware reflexology, craniosacral, structural and visceral diagnostics. Craniosacral osteopathy allows you to determine functional state bones cranium and the state of cerebrospinal fluid circulation.

Structural osteopathy is a set of techniques aimed at diagnosis with subsequent restoration of mobility in musculoskeletal system. The technique is aimed at identifying the root cause of pain in the spine and joints.

Visceral osteopathy is designed to identify dysfunctions of internal organs. Special intervention measures can improve the mobility of internal organs and restore their normal functioning.

The difference between an osteopath and a chiropractor

Manual therapy is the daughter of osteopathy. This is a method of influencing the body, which has incorporated some of the diagnostic methods and treatment methods that have long been used in osteopathy. However, there is a certain difference between these two areas of medicine.

It involves influencing a pathological link, eliminating the problem that has arisen (for example, pain). An osteopath looks at the “root” of the problem, looks for the original source of suffering and eliminates its cause, not the effect.

Manual therapy eliminates pain using the same painful techniques. The osteopath has the possibility of correction using neurological adaptation mechanisms. An osteopath knows where to press, what areas of the body to stretch in order to influence the cause of the disease. Restoration of function in the affected area occurs through the restoration of micromobility, improvement of blood flow and lymph outflow from the diseased area.

A chiropractor quickly eliminates the symptom without affecting the cause. As a result, the symptom may return after some time. An osteopath, influencing the cause of suffering, pushes the body to self-healing. This makes it possible not to return to the problem over time.

In addition, an osteopath affects the body as a whole, improving the functioning of all organs. A chiropractor deals with a specific segment human body without affecting the functioning of the body as an integral system.

An osteopath, unlike a chiropractor, has no age restrictions. Her methods are acceptable both for children in the first days of life and for elderly people. In addition, an osteopath can help with advanced stages diseases, which a chiropractor cannot do.

To always stay healthy, such a doctor recommends following a few simple rules:

a healthy lifestyle is the basis of longevity;
proper nutrition will help preserve the health inherent in nature for a long time;
the back should always be straight;
Periodic visits to the doctor for preventive purposes will make it possible to timely identify a health problem; Following all medical recommendations will help eliminate it in the shortest possible time and with maximum effect.

Parents should be attentive to the health of their baby. It must be remembered that the causes of future diseases are laid down during the period of intrauterine development. That is why future parents should take care of their health even before conceiving a new life. Therefore, an osteopath should examine them in advance. Timely diagnosis and the elimination of the root causes of possible suffering in a newborn should be carried out already in the first days of your baby’s life.

Who is an osteopath and what does he do?

If we delve deeper into the question, who is an osteopathic doctor, I would like to talk about the origin of the word. “Osteopathy” comes from the Greek ὀστέον - bone + πάθος - illness, disease. It becomes clear that an osteopath treats the skeletal system, but the scope of activity of a doctor specializing in osteopathy is much broader. A specialist is able to identify the slightest pathologies in embryonic states (when modern devices do not recognize them), in almost all organs and systems of our body.

Who is an osteopath and what does he treat?

When considering the question of what an osteopath treats, you should list the main problems with which people go to this specialist:

diseases of the ENT organs;
respiratory system;
neurological diseases;
diseases of the reproductive system;
pathological changes in the digestive organs;
joint diseases and diseases of the spinal column;
various injuries and operations;
complications during pregnancy;
childhood diseases (cerebral palsy, flat feet, developmental delays, torticollis, etc.).

Chiropractor and osteopath - what is the difference?

Many people do not understand the difference between the concepts of “osteopath” and “chiropractor”, the differences of which are not significant, due to the fact that osteopathy contains manual therapy techniques. The main differences between these methods:

A chiropractor works only on the musculoskeletal system, while an osteopath covers almost all systems of the human body.
Manual therapy is used based on obvious symptoms, and osteopathy looks for the cause of symptoms and influences the factors that caused the disease.
The osteopathic technique involves gentle and painless recovery and relaxation. Manual therapy methods are more stringent, aimed at stretching, pressing, and realignment.
Answering the question, who is an osteopath in contrast to a chiropractor? This doctor uses adaptive mechanisms, while a chiropractor applies mechanical influence on muscles, ligaments and joints.
Relapses after osteopathic methods of therapy are minimal, which cannot be said about manual therapy.

Osteopathy - indications and contraindications

Osteopathy - indications for treatment

Osteopathy has indications for treatment, and the main problems that are supposed to be treated with its help are:

headaches and dizziness;
malocclusion:
postoperative period;
high and low pressure;
traumatic brain injuries;
gynecological problems;
various pathologies during pregnancy;
frequent colds;
developmental delay;
and attention;
prostate diseases.

Osteopathy – contraindications to treatment

The other side of the coin is osteopathy, contraindications, which include:

mental disorders;
bleeding and blood diseases;
acute forms of spinal and cerebral circulation;
heart failure;
oncology;
tuberculosis;
acute infectious diseases;
spinal, joint and traumatic brain injuries.

When should you contact an osteopath?

Everyone has health problems, and everyone would like to choose methods and methods of therapy that are not only highly effective, but also have no side effects. Another indicator that people pay attention to is financial accessibility. Osteopathy – in many cases becomes the best option. The question of when to contact an osteopath requires not only a detailed consideration of the diseases that the specialist treats, but also special cases when, for example, diagnostic measures have not revealed the cause of poor health.

In addition to the presence of diseases that are already known, you should contact a specialist in sulfur osteopathy if:

I suffer from frequent pain (headaches and in the back).
Symptoms disappear during vacations or long breaks from work.
A burning sensation between the shoulder blades when sitting at a desk for many hours, stiffness and pain in the cervical region.
The condition worsens after driving a car for a long time. Nothing bothers you while driving.
Disturbs the sciatic nerve.

What does an osteopath check?

There is an opinion that an osteopath is engaged in the search for health, not disease, and it has all the prerequisites to be true. Osteopath – who is this in a deep understanding? An osteopathic doctor is a specialist in alternative medicine who is looking for opportunities to direct the work of our body towards self-healing, using natural data inherent from birth. That is, this specialist is engaged in searching for the causes of pathological conditions and ways to help get rid of them painlessly and without drugs.

To have a clear picture, you should find out how the initial examination and consultation with an osteopath goes.

When going to an appointment, you must take all the results of preliminary diagnostic studies available (tests, x-rays, MRI, etc.)
The specialist will conduct an examination (palpate problem areas, check for asymmetry of shapes, color changes, etc.)
A number of tests are carried out to help diagnose diseases.

After the initial examination, ways to get rid of diseases and their symptoms through correction are outlined. Osteopathic techniques may include work:

with the skull and central nervous system;
with ligaments, bones, muscles, tendons;
fascial approach;
psychosomatic components;
biodynamic approach.

Nutrition. Ideally, you should eat small meals 4-5 times a day. Carbohydrates are preferable in the morning, protein foods in the evening. It is important to maintain a drinking regime. Alcohol and coffee - exclude.
Rest. You need to go to bed at the same time. The duration of night's rest should be 7-8 hours. Sleep occurs during the daytime, but its duration is 1.5-2 hours.
Medications. Uncontrolled use of drugs can only aggravate the condition, so before taking them you need to consult a specialist.
Loads. It is useful to exercise several times a week. This is especially important for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle due to sedentary work. Movement improves all metabolic processes and relieves excess stress.
Modern gadgets. It is better to turn off mobile phones at night; it is not advisable to place computer equipment in the bedroom.
Hormonal problems. This point concerns mainly women. Often the menstrual cycle and headaches are interconnected, so it would be a good idea to contact an endocrinologist to select hormonal medications for this period.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. You can hear polar opposite opinions about an osteopath. “Healer who cures all diseases”, “chiropper”, “charlatan”...

This word is pronounced with different emotional connotations: admiringly, contemptuously, incredulously, enthusiastically. Osteopath: who is he, a wizard or a fraudster? Forward - in search of truth!

Science or magic?

Osteopathy — this is a branch of medicine, based on the postulate: any disease arises due to a distortion in the structural and anatomical connections between organs and parts of the human body.

This direction appeared more than 130 years ago in the USA, when surgeon E.T. Still formulated the main principles of this doctrine. It came to Russia in 1988 with the visit of US specialist Viola Fraiman.

In 2015, osteopaths in Russia officially entered the register medical (not magical!) specialties.

The difference between this approach and others is that it considers the human body holistically, as a unity and interconnection of three systems: nervous, musculoskeletal and mental, which ideally should be in a state of balance.

A disturbance in any one of them inevitably affects the others. This explains episodes of unsuccessful treatment in traditional medicine. For example, sometimes the cause of knee pain lies in liver dysfunction, and this relationship can only be identified with the help of osteopathic techniques.

Osteopaths often use a mysterious concept - “fascia”. This is not a magic spell, but a fabric, a kind of case surrounding the organs of the human body, muscles, ligaments, joints, blood vessels.

The fasciae communicate with each other - this is a single complex. In osteopathy, it is believed that they are able to contract and relax. When something arises negative impact, a tension zone appears, and all surrounding organs and tissues react to this. From the point of view of this approach, this is exactly how the disease arises: the source of the problem is not in a single organ.

Osteopathic treatment is not aimed at a specific organ, but at eradicating the cause of the problem and launching natural restoration mechanisms.

And from the point of view of ordinary formal logic, everything here is correct. You need to treat the cause, not the effect (a virus, not a runny nose). Only here everything is considered on a slightly different scale, although the general theory is quite understandable.

Osteopath: who is it, a doctor or a sorcerer?

First of all, this is a doctor who does not train by memorizing spells and magical rituals.

In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Health, the training program includes basic medical education in the specialty “General Medicine” or “Pediatrics”, residency training in the field of “Osteopathy” and additional professional education. At least once every 5 years he must improve his qualifications (not at Hogwarts school).

An osteopath is not a chiropractor, not a massage therapist or a chiropractor. The only similarity between them is the use of hands as a working tool.

The fact is that such a specialist does not focus on local areas of trouble; he works with the body as a single system. In contrast, a chiropractor is limited to mechanical influence on specific bones and joints.

Osteopathic techniques are softer and more gentle; they can be used in the elderly and children.

What does an osteopath treat?

The complex effect of the technique on the patient’s body makes it possible to widely use it: list of diseases The problems with which this doctor is approached are very extensive.

Pathological conditions of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue(this is the main indication for osteopathic treatment), including joint and muscle pain, stiffness of movement, stretching of soft tissues.
Headaches of various origins, dizziness.
Intercostal pain not associated with cardiology.
Problems of the visual organs (strabismus, myopia, astigmatism).
Frequent colds.
central nervous system, sleep disturbance, depression, chronic fatigue.
Consequences of sports domestic injuries, road accidents and surgical interventions.
Gynecological and urological pathologies, reproductive dysfunction.
Pathologies of the ENT organs, urinary, digestive and respiratory systems.

A qualified osteopath can alleviate the condition of pregnancy if a woman is bothered by back pain and swelling. Osteopathic techniques are used in complex care for increased uterine tone, as well as in prenatal preparation programs (with great caution in the first and last trimester).

An osteopath often acts as Doctor Aibolit for children. It helps get rid of consequences of birth injuries, normalizes the condition after cesarean section. , stuttering, enuresis, sleep and behavior disorders, distorted posture, frequent colds and problems with schooling...

A pediatric osteopath sometimes indeed becomes a magician for desperate parents, helping in situations where other methods do not work. Here it is important to choose a truly qualified specialist, relying not only on reviews from relatives and word of mouth.

Magician or doctor: how to avoid becoming a victim of deception

Osteopathy for the majority of the population remains an incomprehensible and mysterious area, into which magical specialists have unanimously joined. Until recently, this area was not regulated by anyone; any sorcerer could declare himself a “bearer of knowledge.” Such “treatment” was sometimes not only ineffective, but also dangerous.

After osteopathy was finally recognized as a medical specialty, unified qualification requirements to such specialists. Now it is not so difficult to distinguish a charlatan from a doctor.

First of all, you need to inquire about the availability of higher medical education (higher education, a nursing diploma does not count). If the answer is words about for many years learning from wandering hermits or from Patanjali himself, Ramakrishna or Nestor the Chronicler is a reason to say goodbye to the sorcerer.

Osteopathy is not based on magic spells, but on human anatomy and the physiology of processes occurring in the body. This knowledge can only be provided by higher medical education..

In addition to a medical diploma, a “real” osteopath has a state certificate. Its authenticity can be verified on the website of the Russian Osteopathic Association.

One should be wary of the lengthy arguments that traditional medicine is not capable of curing diseases, and his method is a miracle cure for all ailments. Here, as a rule, there are numerous stories of healing.

A qualified osteopath will not contrast his field of activity with traditional medicine. He works in conjunction with doctors of other specialties.

How does an osteopath work?

When going to the “magic doctor”, you need to take with you the results of examinations carried out earlier. An osteopathic doctor prefers to look at a patient's outpatient chart rather than at a crystal ball.

After a conversation about concerns, the doctor conducts an inspection, but not simple, but osteopathic (for an ignorant person - magical).

Active tests (controlled actions performed by the patient).
Passive tests (the doctor himself moves the patient’s body).
Axial load tests (the osteopath places his hand on the patient’s head and presses in the direction of the spinal axis).
Assessment of the elasticity of muscles, spinal column, joints.
Fascial tension testing (“magic” laying on of hands method). This is how the doctor determines where the focus of the pathology is located.
Study of craniosacral rhythm (expansion and contraction of the cranium and fascia of the body, which occurs when intracerebral fluid is ejected in the ventricles of the brain). If there is trouble in the body, this rhythm is distorted.

Osteopathic diagnosis does not involve the use of traditional medicine methods: ultrasound, fluoroscopy, etc. The main tool is here– highly sensitive hands qualified and experienced doctor.

Having found out the cause of the problem, the osteopath begins treatment. From the outside it looks like manual therapy or massage, so it's hard to tell the difference. It produces specific movements in the joints, achieving relaxation of the periarticular muscles, combining muscle tension with relaxation. The purpose of such actions is to get rid of pathological tissue tension.

From the point of view of osteopathy, all metabolic processes of the body occur in a fluid (intracellular and intercellular), which unites all its systems. Using biodynamic fluid techniques, the osteopath directly interacts with the patient’s body fluids and normalizes their distribution. Like this scientific magic!

The non-magical everyday life of osteopathic doctors is described in this video:

When osteopathy is contraindicated

The omnipotence of the osteopath is one of the many myths surrounding this mysterious field. There are situations when even the most highly qualified specialist will not be able to help, moreover, such treatment will be dangerous.

There is no point in going to an osteopath for acute infectious disease or during exacerbation of chronic infectious processes. This specialist does not treat neoplasms (malignant and benign), systemic diseases connective tissue and blood, acute pathologies blood and lymphatic vessels, spinal cord and brain. IN similar cases you need to contact doctors of relevant medical specialties.

In case of purulent processes, bleeding (including internal), severe osteoporosis, hypertensive and hypotensive crises, the manipulations of an osteopath are more likely to harm than help.

If the patient has recently experienced surgical intervention or traumatic brain injury, osteopathic treatment should be postponed. It will help you recover, but you need to wait a while.

How to behave correctly after an osteopathic session

After leaving the osteopath's office, it is advisable to take a leisurely walk for at least 15 minutes. You should not “indulge” in fast food: after the session you need to avoid heavy foods. But you don’t have to limit yourself in water, but, on the contrary, increase the amount of liquid you drink (unsweetened liquid is also suitable Herb tea, mineral water).

It is better to postpone fitness training, gardening and other similar activities for 2-3 days. This also applies to emotional overload. Massage and other procedures based on bodily influence after the session are also undesirable.

If you are planning a long-term observation with an osteopath, it is worth keeping a diary to record observations of the state of the body. This way the doctor can track the progress of treatment.

He is not an all-powerful wizard or a charlatan. A qualified osteopath is doctor helping to correct a patient's condition. His treatments are not a replacement for those offered by traditional medicine.

Obviously, no one will go to the gynecologist with a bad tooth, or to the cardiologist with a broken ankle. It's the same story with an osteopath. It will help if the patient has come to the “right address”: pure medicine and no magic!

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

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