The philosophy of Osteopathic Manual Medicine is in line with how I approach my own practice. As a Bowen Therapist and NeuroKinetic Therapist, I have been working on the human body as a system rather than only looking at the pain or injury as a separate issue. Over the years, I continue to develop my practice and further my education in a variety of modalities to assist my clients with their health and well being. I am not the same practitioner as I was a year ago, 2 years ago, or 10 years ago. I seek to find answers. If the modality I am using cannot answer the question at hand, I find out what I need to learn in order to answer that question. This brought me to Manual Osteopathic Medicine.
Osteopathy was founded by Dr. Andrew Still in the late 1800’s and it was his belief that ideal health and wellness was achieved by treating the body as an entire system, that all areas of the body work in harmony together for optimum health.
The foundation of Osteopathic Manual Therapy is that it is a whole body system of therapy. A wide range of techniques including but not limited to:
- cranial osteopathy
- visceral manipulation
- soft tissue therapy
The first school of Osteopathy was opened in 1892 in the USA, and The British School Osteopathy was founded in 1913.
In the USA you will find that an Osteopath is an MD who is also trained in manual osteopathic techniques.
In Canada, while there are Osteopathic MD’s, the majority of practitioners are in fact Manual Osteopaths or Osteopathic Practitioners. This means the practitioners are not medical doctors, but are required to complete training and register with the province in order to receive insurance to practice.
The primary Osteopathic principles are:
- movement of the body fluids are essential to maintaining health (think blood flow, lymph flow and cerebral fluid)
- the nervous system controls everything
- ligaments maintain stability regardless if the bone is in alignment (stretched ligaments)
- there is always a somatic component to disease (whole body involvement)
Looking for Manual Osteopathy in Victoria?
I am Jenna Howe, an osteopathic practitioner in Victoria BC, offering 15 years of chronic pain relief, migraine pain, TMJ pain and post concussion treatment. If you are tired of your painful symptoms and haven’t found relief, try osteopathic treatment today. Learn what to expect at your first appointment and contact me today.
