Osteopathic practice started just before the chiropractic movement in the Midwest of the United States in the nineteenth century. Early in the twentieth century, the American osteopathic profession adopted the use of medicine and surgery, whereas chiropractors continue to use strictly manipulative techniques. Outside of the US, particularly in the United Kingdom, osteopaths tended to stay closer to their traditional approach. Osteopathy was founded by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O., who was born in 1828 in Virginia. Dr. A.T. Still was train ...

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Osteopathic medicine, Osteopathic medicine - History, Osteopathic medicine - Osteopathic Principles, Osteopathic medicine - Techniques of Osteopathic Manual Medicine OMM, Osteopathic medicine - Scope of Manual Therapies, Osteopathic medicine - Cranial Osteopathy, Osteopathic medicine - Visceral Osteopathy, Osteopathic medicine - Osteopathic Medicine Around the World, Osteopathic medicine - Osteopathic Medicine in the USA, Osteopathic medicine - Osteopathic Medicine in the UK Australia Canada and NZ, Osteopathic medicine - Osteopathic Medicine in the European Union, Osteopathic medicine - Criticism

Read more here: » Osteopathic medicine: Encyclopedia II - Osteopathic medicine - History

spinal manipulation (chiropraxis, spinal manipulation therapy, SMT): Manual thrusting that induces the momentary separation of spinal joint surfaces.

(See also: Spinal manipulation, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

visceral meridian manipulation technique (VMM): Life enhancing tool that combines classic organ manipulation, kinesiology (see above), and meridian therapy.

(See also: Visceral meridian manipulation technique, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

CranioSacral Therapy (CST, cranial balancing, cranial osteopathy, cranial sacral manipulation, cranial technique, cranial work, craniopathy, craniosacral balancing, Craniosacral Osteopathy, Cranio-Sacral work): Method whose goal is to remove impediments to a patient's energy. It involves manually aligning skull bones. Dr. William Garner Sutherland, a student of the founder of osteopathy, developed cranial osteopathy in the early 1900s.

According to its theory, movements of the skull bones cause movements of the sacrum and vice versa. John E. Upledger, D.O., developed CranioSacral Therapy, a derivative of Sutherland's work.

(See also: CranioSacral Therapy, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

BODYWORK: The term bodywork refers to therapies such as massage, deep tissue manipulation, movement awareness, and energy balancing, which are employed to improve the structure and functioning of the human body.

Bodywork in all its forms helps to reduce pain, soothe injured muscles, stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation, and promote deep relaxation.

(See also: Bodywork, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Manipulation:

a term used in connection with the therapeutic application of manual force. Spinal manipulation, broadly defined, includes all procedures in which the hands are used to mobilize, adjust, apply traction, massage, stimulate, or otherwise influence the spine and nearby (paraspinal) tissues with the goal of positively influencing the patient's health.

(See also: Manipulation, Alternative Medicine, Body Mind and Soul)

Spinal manipulation , Cervical manipulation , Lumbar manipulation:

Adjustment and manipulation of the vertebral column.

(See also: Spinal manipulation, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

MANIPULATIVE MEDICINE: Based on massage techniques and structural manipulation.######When used in the ancient Chinese way, the whole emphasis is on gentleness and encouraging the muscles to relax before attempting to help to re-align the bones. Attempting to make adjustments before this relaxation has been completed can result in considerable pain and the change may well not be permanent. In these cases, many treatments will be required which is not the case when the preliminary work is correctly completed.

(See also: MANIPULATIVE MEDICINE, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

VISCERAL MANIPULATION

Visceral manipulation enhances the normal mobility and tissue motion of the organs of the visceral system. Hypertonicity, displacement, and adhesions can all cause organs to work against each other, creating chronic irritation and fixed, abnormal points of tension.

The visceral organs are dependent on their ability to move freely in the visceral cavity to then work correctly and efficiently. When they are pulled out of their effective positions, they cease to function properly. By freeing each organ to work compatibly with the others, a therapist can potentially alter and improve the structure and functioning of the entire body.

(See also: VISCERAL MANIPULATION, Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Chiropractic manipulation , Chiropractic adjustment , Chiropractic spinal adjustment:

Spinal adjustments made by a chiropractor to relieve pressures on the spinal cord for improvement of health.

(See also: Chiropractic manipulation, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Osteopathic manipulation ,  Osteopathic manipulation ,  :

Musculoskeletal manipulation based on the principles of OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE developed in 1874 by Dr Andrew Taylor Still. It was originally similar to CHIROPRACTIC (MANIPULATION, CHIROPRACTIC) but has become more like FAMILY PRACTICE.

(See also: Osteopathic manipulation, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

confluent somatic therapy: Form of psychotherapy that involves subtle energy manipulation.

(See also: Confluent somatic therapy, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

MASSAGE THERAPY: This is a general term for a range of therapeutic approaches with roots in both Eastern and Western cultures. Involves the practice of kneading or otherwise manipulating a personÕs muscles and soft tissue.

What is Massage therapy?

Massage is the oldest therapy known to mankind.  It started about 5000 B.C. and was used by almost all cultures including China, Rome, Greece, and India.

Massage includes a number of disciplines that share the use of pressure, friction, and strain on the muscles and joints for therapeutic physical response.

Purpose of massage therapy

There are several purposes for massage therapy, including preventive, general health, relaxation, stress relief, pain relief, rehabilitative, warming up for sports, and psychological transformation.

Effects of massage therapy

Therapeutic massage has a cumulative effect on both soft tissue repair and decreasing stress, therefore receiving regular massage therapy is recommended to achieve the best results.  The benefits are numerous for people of all ages and activity levels. Almost everyone will enjoy the positive effects from receiving a massage.  Therapeutic massage feels wonderful and is very healthy.  In addition, human touch is a physical need.  Massage therapy provides a safe and caring way to receive the physical contact needed by all.

(See also: Massage therapy, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Bowen Therapy

Bowen Therapy employs gentle manipulation of tendons, nerves and muscles, releasing a cascade of neuro-muscular responses, resulting in a rebalancing of the whole body.

(See also: Bowen Therapy, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Qigong Meridian Therapy  (QMTSM, Qi Gong Meridian Therapy, QGMT): Part of TCM that involves manipulating meridians (energy pathways).

(See also: Qigong Meridian Therapy, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Chiropractor: Healer using therapy that attributes disease to neural malfunction with treatment primarily based on manipulation of the spinal column. Originally, a healer who used his hands to manipulate the body.

(See also: Chiropractor, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Chiropractor

Healer using therapy that attributes disease to neural malfunction with treatment primarily based on manipulation of the spinal column. Originally, a healer who used his hands to manipulate the body.

(See also: Chiropractor, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Osteopathic medicine:

a system of therapy that emphasizes normal body mechanics and manipulation to correct faulty body structures. Osteopathic physicians provide comprehensive medical care.

(See also: Osteopathic medicine, Alternative Medicine, Body Mind and Soul)

Massage , Craniosacral massage , Reflexology, Rolfing, Zone therapy:

Group of systematic and scientific manipulations of body tissues best performed with the hands for the purpose of affecting the nervous and muscular systems and the general circulation.

(See also: Massage, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Chiropractic - A system of therapies based upon the theory that disease is caused by abnormal function of the nervous system. It attempts to restore normal function by manipulation of the spinal column.

(See also: Chiropractic, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Craniosacral therapy:

gentle manipulation of the brain, spinal cord, bones of the skull, sacrum and interconnected membranes--to correct misalignments and distortions in the structure and function of the craniosacral mechanism that surrounds the central nervous system.

(See also: Craniosacral therapy, Alternative Medicine, Body Mind and Soul)