By WIN Provider: Elyse Silverman, Manual Osteopathic Practitioner
Osteopathy is a science based on the idea that imbalances in the human structure directly contribute to the development of disease. An osteopath is analogous to a mechanic for your body. Like any machine, structural integrity is fundamental to its ability to perform optimally.
Altered anatomy will disrupt the body’s bio-mechanical design, which dictates how the body is aligned and moves for the purpose of carrying out all of its physiological functions. Altered structure and restricted joints and tissues hinder these physiological processes and will eventually lead to the expression of symptoms, pain, or disease.
Blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics regulate the health and function of every cell in the body. They become affected by structural lesions in multiple ways. The pinch of muscle tension on vessels lying within tight muscle fibres obstructs the passageway to the flow of fluids. Irritated nerve impulses might arise through abnormal mechanical input or poor blood supply to the nerve.
The normal motion of joints and pliability of tissues are important factors in the movement of fluids. Sluggish fluid movement causes the buildup of wastes, less than optimal nutrition of tissues, and weakened immunity. Nerves are the body’s circuitry and communication networks. Consequently, normal nerve input and output is vital for normal and healthy functioning.
Osteopathic treatment can be so effective at treating and preventing an array of illnesses because when structure is balanced, joints move well, and the body works in an integrated fashion, the healing/regulating elements of the nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics are liberated.
Commonly, people seek out manual therapy to help with pain and injuries but the purpose of this article is to highlight how Osteopathy is a complete system of healthcare that focuses on optimizing your body’s state of health so that it is better equipped to contend with any potential disturbances to your health. Those disturbances might be infectious disease, stress, aging, or injuries.
Due to the sometimes insidious nature of altered anatomical alignment leading to impaired physiological processes and eventual presentation of symptoms, the predominant allopathic medical world tends to overlook structure as a primary factor in the cause of disease. Moreover, assessing and detecting structural alterations and changes in tissue health is a trained skill and the specialized work of the Osteopath and practitioners in the manual therapy field.
To get your body functioning and feeling its best make sure to eat well, sleep well, exercise, and book an appointment for osteopathic treatment at WIN Health Performance Centre in Niagara Falls. Call our Niagara Falls clinic at 905-354-8397.