Days, weeks and months of medication might have seem ineffective, but this is pure bliss. This is unadulterated medicine, nature at its best.

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2 Don t be ashamed to cry. People would understand. It s not just the pain that gets you, it s the inability to do what you want, when you want to. You are stuck. Stuck in a continuous cycle of despair and frustration. But then, you get on that table and finally, some relief. Bit by bit, stroke by stroke, every joint, muscle, tendon and fibre finally clicking the way they were meant to. You feel your chest expand and contract like it is supposed to, but no burning sensation, not anymore. Finally, you are healed. Your back pain is gone. Days, weeks and months of medication might have seem ineffective, but this is pure bliss. This is unadulterated medicine, nature at its best. If only you had known this was the treat, you could ve been cured sooner. If only. For you reading this, it s time that you know about back-pain treatments without surgery, medication, or long drawn out recovery periods.

3 What is Osteopathy? As the name implies, osteopathy refers to the study and management of bones. It is a form of manual healthcare, which relies solely on natural remedies both for simple and complex health problems. In it the musculoskeletal system is studied in order to determine what causes certain illnesses and how they can be treated or prevented. Osteopathy works to ensure that muscles, skeleton, joints, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs are functioning the way they are meant to, in order to promote sound health. To pinpoint problems and illnesses, various tools and techniques for diagnosis are used. The osteopathic manual practitioner uses his hands to locate problem areas inside the body, even all the way down to the deep tissues. No medications are given and no surgeries are performed. 100 percent natural treatments, all the time. How Can it Possibly Work? This is a frequently asked question since the profession began nearly two hundred years ago. Osteopathy, like other complementary or alternative medicines (CAM), was borne out of discontent with the existing medical practices. Dr Andrew Taylor Still was one such professional who felt the prevailing medical ideologies were inadequate. The pioneering American doctor believed diseases can be prevented, making treatments unnecessary. He was also uncomfortable with the idea of ingesting numerous chemicals, given that the body is fully capable of healing itself. And so in 1874 he launched Osteopathy, opened a school for osteopathic medicine several years later, and started a discipline that has grown rapidly since.

4 The Philosophy of Osteopathy Dr Still wrote and taught extensively the benefits of osteopathy, and published a book stating the three main underlying philosophies. The parts of the body make up a unified whole the whole body works and experiences changes together. What one part feels affects the rest, so to be cured, a therapist must deal with the whole system. The body has a natural ability to self-regulate and self-heal the host response of a person can either be weak or strong. When it is weak, the person is vulnerable to diseases. An osteopathic practitioner s job is to prevent system failures by building up the immune system. The musculoskeletal system is a key element in maintaining health the bones, muscles and cartilage make up two thirds the mass of a person s body. Our circulatory and nervous systems rely on the musculoskeletal system to function effectively. In order to effectively heal a person, attention must be made to this crucial centre.

5 Making Ends Meet The body is like a road network. When the road is free and clear, everyone gets to their destination on time and everyone is happy. But when there is a hold-up, people don t get to their desired location when they expect to, so what ensues? Road rage! People don t get to work before their bosses, packages aren t delivered and somebody will either lose money, get detention or get fired. In the same way, when there is a hold-up in the body, caused by inflammation or foreign objects, everything gets delayed. Blood circulation for one, gets halted. Within that blood are the healing properties white blood cells, healing chemicals and hormones - needed to cure the ailment. It would help therefore, to locate where the blockage is and get rid of it. How then does a doctor determine where the blockage is? They don t. The problem is that a conventional doctor would simply prescribe something for the pain and hope that at some point, the medicine will reach its intended target, hopefully within the next thirty minutes or so. Granted, the medicine would stop the pain, but its source remains. The medicine didn t solve the problem. It is actually the body that eventually heals itself, not the drugs. In contrast, an osteopathic doctor uses Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). In it highly trained hands to locate the source of the traffic jam. After this, intervention can be done. They can diagnose problems, solve them, get tissues and muscles back in balance, realign connections and restore range of motion. Simply put, you ll be up and running in no time.

6 Impressive results Research, reviews and reports have been done the world over, and the results have been more than impressive. A study carried out in Australia and published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders observed how patients with severe spinal and other musculoskeletal conditions treated. Some of the patients also had either cardiovascular problems, respiratory complications or mental disorders. Osteopaths helped a majority of patients after a few treatments.

7 On the other side of the world, the UK government having conducted independent reports, accepted that osteopaths may claim to help various medical conditions including: Generalised aches and pains joint pains including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core oa treatments and exercise arthritic pain general, acute & chronic backache, back pain (not arising from injury or accident) uncomplicated mechanical neck pain (as opposed to neck pain following injury i.e. whiplash) headache coming from the neck (cervicogenic) / migraine prevention frozen shoulder/ shoulder and elbow pain/ tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences circulatory problems cramp digestion problems lumbago sciatica muscle spasms neuralgia fibromyalgia inability to relax rheumatic pain minor sports injuries and tensions Moreover, osteopathy is covered by Medicare's Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plans and most private health funds. They are also included in worker s compensation schemes and motor accident insurance covers.

8 Get healed without surgery Back pain is a problem at least 80% of adults deal with at some point in their lives. Chronic back pain is one of the major reasons people visit doctors. Interestingly, most of the cases of back pain could have been prevented. Not being physically fit, poor walking, sleeping or sitting posture, obesity and excessive strain are different causes of back problems. In some cases, it only became chronic because the patient ignored the initial pain, thinking the body would heal itself. From the base of the neck all the way down to the pelvis, back pain can affect any part of the spinal column and cause anything ranging from mild, throbbing pain to excruciating, debilitating strain. Though the treatment process for most cases is pretty routine, some require extensive and/or repetitive surgery. But if there was a way to get healed without surgery, how many people would have picked that option - most or all? Osteopathic doctors have reported remarkable results in low back pain treatment, without using harmful medications or procedures.

9 Thorough examination Your first visit will entail a thorough examination of what you are going through and what caused the problem. Your complete medical history, lifestyle, diet, working conditions and emotional disposition are all included in the assessment. Emphasis will be on how often you ve had back pain and the treatments that were done. Next comes the physical exam. This will identify physical impairments to mobility, circulation and posture. The osteopath needs to know how you are using your body to understand what caused the pain. Your spine, joints, muscles and tendons will be assessed for structural interference. Back pain isn t always due to a physical force, so a neurological and orthopaedic test may be carried out. After the assessment, which takes about 45 minutes, the patient will be given a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

10 Being Treated Never Felt This Good Patients with acute back pain, chronic pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis and other conditions often desire the attention of an osteopath. Excellent choice. After the diagnosis, one or more of these treatment methods would be used: Jones Technique sometimes referred to as strain-counter strain. This procedure entails locating the point of the musculoskeletal pain, or tender point. Once identified, the osteopath will move the patient to a position of comfort and hold them for about 90 seconds. The therapist will then slowly return the patient from the counterstain position to a neutral state and evaluate if the pain persists. The aim is to soothe muscles that are damaged or are affecting the motor segments. High velocity low amplitude thrusts (HVLAT) this method of spinal adjustment helps restore normal range of motion to joints. It is a method favoured by other practitioners, especially chiropractors. A short (low amplitude), quick (high velocity) thrust is made to the affected joints. For this, a special table may be used, depending on the HVLAT technique used. Massage Therapy there is no massage like what an osteo would give you and it works wonders too. The benefits of massages go way beyond soothing and helping a person relax. By performing a variety of massage techniques, blockages in the muscles and circulatory system can be removed. Myofascial Release Therapy this is a method used to improve skeletal mobility, relieve pain and correct tightness in the fascia. The fascia is a sheet of connective tissue beneath the skin that attaches, encloses and separates muscles and other internal organs.

11 Muscle Energy Technique (MET) this is used to lengthen muscles and improve mobility. The osteopathic therapist gets the patient to contract muscles, before those muscles get stretched and strengthened. Soft Tissue Mobilisation Rhythmic stretching, deep pressure or traction techniques are used to activate the muscles around the spine. The procedure is used to break adhesions in the muscles, ligaments and fascia. All in a Day s Walk Back pain is a condition we are all familiar with, and we d hate for it to continue to affect you. The osteopathic therapist works to get parts of our body to work as one. Back pain doesn t have to rob you of your joy and leisure activities anymore. The short assessment will help us understand your condition and your requirements quickly. Osteopathy is recommended for patients needing treatment that not only helps them recover quickly, but teaches how to remain healthy. You ll be given a full recommendation on diet, exercise, lifestyle adjustments and mental exercises to enable you live healthy and happy. It s time to get your swagger back, it s time to meet an osteopath.