Osteopathy

I have studied and used approaches from traditional osteopathy, especially cranial osteopathy. Traditional osteopathy is a manipulative-based therapy using a conservative non-drug approach. There is a stronger focus on the bones of the head and neck and the musculoskeletal system in general. In addition, other therapies are often used by some osteopaths, including acupuncture, diet and nutrition, and biofeedback. Osteopathy was first developed in the 1890s by Andrew Taylor Still, who founded the first college of osteopathic medicine. Still was an American medical doctor and surgeon during the Civil War. He later criticized medicine for overuse of drugs and began using more holistic methods that included diet, prevention, and fitness. By the 1950s the majority of osteopaths were incorporated into mainstream medicine. Today, most osteopaths in the country practice like medical doctors, no longer using their traditional techniques. Their doctor of osteopathy degree (DO) is nearly identical to a medical degree. In many parts of the world, especially Europe, many osteopaths have maintained their traditional roles, often using many complementary approaches.

Cranial osteopathy, developed in 1939 by Dr. William Sutherland, an osteopath, is a subspecialty within osteopathic manipulative medicine. A cranial osteopath focuses particularly on the movements of the cranial bones and their relationships with the spine and sacrum. These cranial-sacral techniques are commonly taught to many health-care professionals. These cranial relationships are described as a dynamic force within the living human body: the “energy” of the central nervous system. In particular, cranial-sacral movement is associated with the circulation of cerebral spinal fluid, which bathes the brain and spinal cord. Osteopaths describe precise movements of all twenty-six cranial bones, which constitute a significant part of the body’s self-healing mechanism. Cranial bone movement is associated with the movement of the breathing mechanism; certain bones move specifically with both inhalation and exhalation movement. The amount of movement is in the range of fractions of a millimeter.

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Cranial osteopaths believe that any disruption in cranial movement may have an adverse effect on any area of the body, causing imbalances. Problems within the cranial-sacral mechanism can occur as a result of trauma (beginning with birth), daily microtrauma, breathing irregularities, muscular imbalances, and other problems.

Assessment is done by palpation of the cranium, sacrum, and spine; by postural evaluation; by muscle testing; and by other approaches depending on the practitioner. Correction of cranial-sacral problems is accomplished manually by applying gentle pressures at certain points on the cranium and sacrum, often in conjunction with inhalation or exhalation, or through manipulation of certain spinal vertebrae.