History and background of the osteopathy

Osteo-: for historic reasons represents all kind of tissue treated by the osteopath: articulations, ligaments, muscles, vascular systems, nerves, organs etc.

-pathy: comes from the English word "path"

Osteopathy in the sense of the osteopath is the path to the tissue.

The osteopathy has been founded by the American doctor Andrew T. Still (1828-1917) in the 19th century. He realized that the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system and the apparatus function together and influence each other.

He assumed that the human has all the means for healing in himself.

The osteopathy is a holistic therapy practiced by the skilled hands of an osteopath. For the osteopath health means the interacting mobility of all parts of the body (articulations, tissues, organs, bones etc.).
The restriction of mobility, responsible for many affliction and illness, are diagnosed and dissolved by the osteopath.
To find the cause of the affliction, the following domains are examined:

• the parietal system or movement system (vertebral column, articulations, muscles, tendons, apo neurosis)
• the visceral system: the apparatus (stomach, intestine, liver, kidney, heart, lights, uterus etc.)
• the craniosacral system (nervous system)

These 3 systems are closely connected one to each other both mechanically and by the vascular and nervous system.

The application of the osteopathic medecine conditions exact knowledge of anatomy (construction of the body) and physiology (physical and biomechanical functions of the individual). Three fundamental principles are the bases of the osteopathy:

• The human is a unity: body, spirit, soul.
• Humans possess proper self-regulating and self-healing forces.
• The structure and function influence each other mutually.