It goes without saying that cancer is a very serious and potentially life threatening illness. But in addition to the physical problems from the disease itself and associated treatments, there is a great deal of stress and emotional issues which the patient normally encounters. Over the years a number of helpful alternative cancer therapies have developed including the practice of osteopathy.
It is important to have a basic understanding of what osteopathy is. Well it is a way of providing medical care to someone which focuses on the impact of the musculoskeletal system in regard to overall health and the manner in which disease affects it. Osteopathic physicians rely primarily on manual and physical treatments to help to stimulate the body’s own ability to heal itself.
The field of osteopathy was founded by Dr. Andrew Still, who served as a physician during the Civil War. He felt that traditional medicine lacked many things and sought to develop ways in a more natural way to help his patients.
In general osteopathy is not intended to be a sole treatment regimen for cancer. But rather it can have great benefit at relieving many kinds of pain, stress, headaches, and fatigue which can be attributable to the disease or associated treatments like chemotherapy.
So osteopathy should not be viewed as a substitute for traditional cancer care and treatment. But it can do a great deal in improving how a person deals with the disease and how he feels. It can also greatly improve the patient’s quality of life.
Osteopathy is focused on promoting good nutrition, regular exercise and avoidance of alcohol and drugs to help to build and maintain good health. In regular practice, osteopathic physicians use techniques to physically manipulate the bones, joints and muscles to help improve their function. Drugs and surgery may also apply as necessary.
But osteopathy seeks to integrate body, mind and spirit. They believe that you can feel good physically when you feel good mentally. The two are tightly intertwined. And they believe very strongly that the body has the ability to heal many things. So different techniques are aimed at enhancing the body’s own ability to fight off infection and disease and get better.
There are certain areas of the body where osteopathy may provide focus. Craniosacral therapy is used to gently stimulate areas of skull and help to enhance spinal flow to nerves throughout the body.
And visceral osteopathy focuses on manipulating the visceral organs like the stomach and intestines in order to correct imbalances and relieve restrictions in flow.
It should be noted that while osteopathy can be of benefit for many cancer sufferers, it should not be used with everyone. For example it should be avoided for patients with bone cancer. And visceral osteopathy should not be used with patients who may be suffering from internal organ cancers. It is always best to discuss this with your primary doctor before starting osteopathic treatment.
But for many circumstances and situations, osteopathy can be of great benefit and should be seriously considered.
Osteopathy is a very credible branch of medicine and osteopathic physicians are licensed professionals who must under rigorous training and qualification just like a traditional MD.
