Is osteopathy safe? Myths and truth. General principles of treatment. Prevention of vertebral degeneration

The program is on air Online reception". And today I am leading it, Yulia Pakhomova-Gorshkova. Today our guest is Dmitry Evgenievich Mokhov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, osteopath, neurologist, chief freelance specialist in osteopathy of the Ministry of Federation, head of the St. Petersburg Institute of Osteopathy, director of the St. Petersburg Institute of Osteopathy, head of the Department of Osteopathy of the North-West State Medical Institute named after Mechnikov. Good evening.

D. E. Mokhov: Good evening.

0:56 We would like to talk about osteopathy as an alternative direction of classical medicine, proclaiming that the body self-manages, and about manual therapy. I have a first, slightly provocative question. Osteopathy considers primary cause disease is a violation of the structural and anatomical relationships between various organs in the human body and teaches us that we can manage our body ourselves. This means that soon we will not need official medicine at all. How can you comment on this?

D. E. Mokhov: On the one hand, osteopathy is something magical and unique that can save you from any misfortunes and diseases. On the other hand, I would like to prevent some kind of demonization of osteopathy, because those who do not understand what it is, ask themselves the question: what is it, some kind of new messiah, probably.

2:34 I think a lot of people are asking themselves this question because it's a new topic, especially in Russia. For us, this is a myth. Tell us a little more about what it is? How can we characterize it as a whole?

D. E. Mokhov: A few words of history. Osteopathy or osteopathic medicine is a medical field that is over 140 years old and originated in the United States of America. On the American continent it is doctors, on the European continent it is medical specialists first level of treatment. The patient has the right to turn to an osteopath for primary diagnosis and reception. And it is very important to say that diseases do not begin suddenly, there is a long period of pre-disease, when the actual structure of the organic structure of the disease is not yet there, but we are already suffering. We have appeared discomfort. We go to the doctor and he prescribes symptomatic therapy essentially relieves the symptoms.

Since last year, osteopathy has been the official legal medical specialty in Russian Federation. Therefore, today this direction stands on absolutely scientific legs. This is a direction of manual medicine, in the broad sense of the word, and a lot of specialists treat with their hands. And we know that there are psychologists who use their hands to do things, masseurs who massage in order to improve blood flow at the site of impact.

Since last year, osteopathy has been an official medical specialty in the Russian Federation. Therefore, today this direction stands on absolutely scientific legs.

4:53 But it can be dangerous, as far as we know.

D. E. Mokhov: Massage has its indications and contraindications. It is prescribed by a doctor in order to improve blood flow in some place, reduce the risk of bedsores in a patient who is lying. There is manual therapy - a specialty that has been around for about 20 years. It grew out of vertebroneurology and was aimed at restoring the position of a vertebra that had shifted. An osteopath is trained for about 4 years after a medical diploma. Today it is one of the specialties that need to be studied for quite a long time, seriously.

5:47 Got a medical degree plus three more years?

D. E. Mokhov: Higher medical education. This is a specialist who graduated from general medicine or pediatrics, then completed an internship, residency in one of the 46 medical specialties. And then he underwent professional retraining in osteopathy and became an osteopathic doctor. This is not an average specialist, not a massage therapist.

An osteopath is a specialist who knows how to perceive a person in the relationship of his parts, with the outside world. If a patient comes in complaining of headache and he had yesterday severe stress, then you can remove the sensitivity and prescribe an anesthetic. This is one campaign, and we know it well. Whether it helps with stress - I'm not sure. You can not think that this is stress, but correct the vertebrae, and this will be closer to manual therapy. And if you take into account the causes of occurrence, for example, in stress, work with the body with your hands. These are special diagnostic and treatment techniques, and this will be closer to osteopathy.

Manual approaches preach a lot of different specialties. They are in therapy, neurology, but here it is the concept of restoring one's own resources for self-correction. And the correction of health disorders, not diseases, because health disorders are an additional component of any disease. The disease may have different reasons, but behave in a similar way. Therefore, the osteopath will not deal with the part that has broken, but with the functional reversible part of the body, because as long as we are alive, we have something that still functions. And we can, as piano tuners, do it better. Sometimes you need to change the strings, and this is done, in an allegory with medicine, by specialists who insert a new hip joint, new lens, new tooth. Osteopaths don't do that. We have not yet removed adhesions from any of the patients, we have not grown a new bone, but we are creating conditions for the normalization of life. And what is the vital activity of the tissues of the human body? This is an improvement in blood circulation, nervous regulation and biomechanics. If the body is well supplied with blood, well provides for itself nerve impulse, moves well, it will be very strong, will cope with large quantity diseases. Therefore, for the osteopath has special meaning non-infectious. For us, the conditions that lead to the disruption of adaptations in this place are important, and some kind of disease arises there.

We have not yet removed adhesions from any of the patients, we have not grown a new bone, but we are creating conditions for the normalization of life. If the body is well supplied with blood, provides itself well with nerve impulses, and moves well, it will be very strong and will cope with a large number of diseases.

Why, for example, does the throat hurt on the right and not on the left? Very simple. You can just look at how this zone is shifting, and we will see that from the side where the trouble has arisen, there are symptoms, in this place the body protects itself worse. And then an interesting question arises: why did a weak zone appear in this place? And we will see that every piece of the body is connected with blood circulation, with the heart, with films that connect the throat with the lower jaw, which go further into the chest, into the abdominal cavity. Therefore, an osteopath will feel the body of a person and see that the body leans to one side, and not to the other, because there is some kind of tension that has arisen, say, after the removal of appendicitis. It seems surprising when an osteopath touches something in the abdomen, and after two minutes the neck begins to move normally. It seems a miracle, we did not touch the neck. Here is an example of osteopathy, because we know that we are one.

11:11 Today there are so many terrible diseases. Many people have a distrust of traditional medicine and are increasingly turning to unconventional methods treatment. You made a professional choice in due time. Why osteopathy?

D. E. Mokhov: Medicine already treats the result, because the disease is the result. It is clear that if the disease arose in a particular place, there is a very specific set of things that need to be done. And most importantly, we do not get an answer to the question why it arose in this place. Doctors are asking the main question: how to prevent, prevent our children from being healthy, so that our parents live longer, so that there are no diseases, but that there is health. Therefore, my choice was logical - I want people to be healthy. Therefore, you need to come up with some kind of system or learn a system that will help restore the resources of the human body for health.

Today we are in captivity to the medicinal doctrine. There is such medicinal disease when people die from drugs. More than 600-700 people per day die from it in the world. Diseases are getting younger in an incredible way, we are becoming more disabled, more and earlier sick. Therefore, we need to develop medicine that will develop not only super-expensive, high-tech operations, but also prevent diseases. Therefore, osteopathy is the medicine of choice for this part.

Diseases are getting younger in an incredible way. Therefore, we need to develop medicine that will develop not only super-expensive, high-tech operations, but also prevent diseases.

Osteopathy has no more significant role than the medicine of the stage when it is already necessary to involve replacement therapy, replace the work of organs. But when the disease is still being formed, we must look at the patient from the point of view of restoring his life-supporting functions. When there is already a breakdown, then an osteopath is something additional.

16:09 I want to recall a small historical moment, that in 2012, for the first time, a decree was signed by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the approval of the nomenclature of positions of medical and pharmaceutical workers. And the appendix mentions an osteopathic doctor. Official medicine did not recognize this for a long time. Why? Fear of competition?

D. E. Mokhov: This is not a fear of competition and not a problem of choice. Why did it happen? Firstly, progressive people who understand this versatility of medicine, that medicine should not be only the medicine of diseases, have come to the leadership of the Ministry of Health. Secondly, only 20 years ago, the first then Soviet, and then Russian doctors educated in osteopathy. This concept came in the form of separate techniques, a specialty of manual therapy appeared. Technically they are similar, but conceptually they are not the same. There is an evolutionary path, and today's medicine, in its message, is already different. Our society is already aware of the inferiority of treatment with drugs alone.

There are 100,000 osteopathic doctors in the United States. In Paris, in every entrance there is an osteopath, a dentist, a lawyer, and so on. It's incredibly common and accessible. Therefore, it is obvious that osteopathy will be in Russia, because we are part of the world community. And given our level, osteopathy in Russia should be one of the best in the world.

Obviously, osteopathy will be in Russia, because we are part of the global community. And given our level, osteopathy in Russia should be one of the best in the world.

19:22 The first Russian school of osteopathic medicine was established in St. Petersburg in 1994. For this short period she managed to win her circle of admirers. What is the main secret of success?

D. E. Mokhov: Until 2012, osteopathy was taught to anyone and in any way. Therefore, the level of specialists before the start of state regulation was very different. I saw a patient two days ago who had severe pain in his side for two weeks. He took pain medication, did an MRI, saw that there were no tumors and so on. My back hurts, my stomach sips a little, nothing more. From the point of view of medicine, there are no diseases, you have to take painkillers that irritate the stomach, and so on. One procedure at the osteopath, and after two hours everything was gone, after a few days everything is perfect, no problems.

Osteopathy is not a panacea, but we clearly understand the territory of pre-illness and functional part diseases, when osteopathy is absolutely unique means in the hands of professionals. Although there are still few osteopaths, we see the formation of osteopaths' understanding of their place.

22:13 There are three directions in osteopathy that treat the bones of the skull, deal with the spine and internal organs. Is it so?

D. E. Mokhov: Purely didactically, an osteopath can do anything. The osteopath does manual treatment, but it is not massage. He puts his hands to the body, to the surface, but due to the impact in depth, he can reach more deep structures, not only skin and muscles, as, for example, a massage therapist works, but can penetrate into more deep tissue, to feel the mobility of internal organs, bones of the skull, vertebrae. Having a very fine palpation or perception, as we say, he feels the interaction between various parts body and restores mobility, and sometimes micro-motion of some of these structures. In terms of educational aspects, it looks like osteopathy of the head, internal organs, skeleton and muscles, because we are made of all this.

The osteopath does manual treatment, but it is not massage. He puts his hands to the body, but due to the impact in depth, he can reach deeper structures, not only skin and muscles, but also penetrate deeper tissues, feel the mobility of internal organs, skull bones, vertebrae.

24:27 So this is not a disease, but functional changes in organs?

D. E. Mokhov: Osteopathic paradigms say that there is no impairment of health without impairment of mobility. We work on the fluidity of tissues, on the viscosity characteristics, and by improving this stiffness of tissues, we influence a lot. First, we influence the nerves that go somewhere else. They may have come out of the base of the skull and gone to the stomach. And you need to evaluate the area that was clamped in the head or at the exit from the head, which can affect the nervous regulation of something in the stomach. Osteopaths know how to appreciate this.

The second part of osteopathy is the biomechanical part. Imagine a person has a backache. He came to the neurologist, did an x-ray, an MRI. As a result, anesthesia or physical therapy. The neurologist did his job. The osteopath looked from his side. It turns out that there was an injury to the bones of the foot, and this patient has been limping on this leg for half a year, adjusting his lower back, and such symptoms have appeared there. The osteopath has played its part, this is biomechanical osteopathy.

And the third part is the very fluids when you took a breath and exhaled, and you have one and a half liters of blood changed position. Or if some part of the body breathes worse, then stagnation occurs in this part. The osteopath will restore the ability of tissues to move blood. It seems like a miracle, but an osteopath is a mechanic of the human body, an adjuster, a systems engineer. it functional doctor, which evaluates the ability of tissues to self-correct through mutual mobility, through the restoration of mobility, vitality of structures in the concept of mutual influence.

An osteopath is a mechanic of the human body, a tuner, a system specialist. This is a functional doctor who evaluates the ability of tissues to self-correct through mutual mobility, through the restoration of mobility, vitality of structures in the concept of mutual influence.

29:15 In a good way, any specialist in traditional medicine should interact with an osteopath?

D. E. Mokhov: Absolutely so, if he wants to restore the body's abilities so that it does not get sick, so that it copes, taking into account the stages of the disease. Because if this is the beginning of the disease, without osteopathy it is already wrong. If this is something already neglected, when it is necessary to make prosthetics, operate, and so on, the osteopath will work here in the context of rehabilitation.

29:52 Does osteopathy help with insomnia or is it just another myth?

D. E. Mokhov: It definitely helps. These violations could be formed in different ways: someone hit his head, and he developed a zone of limited mobility of the bones of the skull. The films inside the head became more rigid, and the outflow worsened, and here it is, sleep disturbance. Osteopathy can only help in this case.

32:32 I want to touch on one very difficult and dangerous topic - oncology. Some osteopaths claim they remove pain syndrome improve the quality of life of the patient as a whole. Is it so?

D. E. Mokhov: Osteopaths are good at developing intuition, palpation, but none of us have ever diagnosed cancer in our lives. We don't do biopsies. Osteopaths do not treat oncology, just like non-diseases. But if the patient is cancer twisted his leg, and if the oncologist is not against, and there are no metastases in this place, the osteopath can help. It is absolutely known that, together with oncologists, we can exert a microscopic, insignificant effect in order to reduce the dose of painkillers for a patient with oncology. But this is not a direct indication for osteopathy, I repeat once again, osteopaths do not treat oncology.

Osteopaths do not treat oncology, just as they do not treat glaucoma, appendicitis, fractures, etc. We deal with the premorbid functional part of the disease. But if a patient with cancer has twisted his leg, and if the oncologist does not mind and there are no metastases in this place, an osteopath can help.

35:31 Where in Russia can you study to become an osteopath? We have very few good specialists, who were trained by world luminaries, received the appropriate education. What advice would you give to young professionals? And literally in a nutshell about the history of the opening of the Institute of Osteopathy.

D. E. Mokhov: Despite the fact that we have been the Institute of Osteopathy of St. Petersburg for a long time, which is the Institute of Osteopathy of the Medical Faculty of St. Petersburg State University, and I head the Department of Osteopathy of the North-Western State medical university, we have been conducting training in Moscow for a long time within the framework of visiting cycles. And now we have good room on the Winged Hills. We have gathered very good osteopaths who will work and help Muscovites and guests of the city. Previously, patients from Moscow came to us, to St. Petersburg, although osteopathy came to Moscow later years by 7-8, and there are already osteopathic clinics. We are opening an expert-level clinic where professionals will work high level and where it will be implemented educational program for the training of doctors in the specialty of osteopathy.

38:05 Thank you so much for this wonderful interview. I was with you, Yulia Pakhomova-Gorshkova. And our guest was Dmitry Evgenyevich Mokhov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, osteopathic doctor, chief freelance specialist in osteopathy of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

D. E. Mokhov: Good osteopathic health to you. And, indeed, osteopathy is an ordinary miracle.

Anna Mironova

Reading time: 12 minutes

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Who is an osteopath? First of all, a specialist with a medical education and special training. And also a bit of a magician. Because anyone can become an osteopath, but there are only a few specialists who can restore health. Finding a professional can take time: you should start with lists of these specialists in the Osteopathic Registers, calls to clinics and researching online reviews.

True, you can understand whether this is your osteopath only at a face-to-face appointment with a doctor.

The benefits of osteopathy for children and adults - when to start treatment and for whom is it contraindicated?

Osteopathy is based on the idea that all parts of the body function together and work together. That is, when a problem arises in one part of the body, the rest of the parts try to adapt to it and compensate general state resulting in pain, inflammation and other symptoms.

The task of osteopathy Reduce pain, eliminate stress and allow the body to heal itself.

Osteopath works exclusively with hands - without injections, pills and improvised means. Treatment at this specialist should be part complex therapy- only in this case it will bring maximum benefit.

What are the benefits of osteopathy?

• The possibility of full treatment of the central nervous system and internal organs, most of the diseases.
• General improvement in mobility.
• Improving the structural stability of the body.
• Improving the functioning of all body systems.

Benefits of osteopathy:

1. Impact on the body exclusively with the help of hands - no drugs, injections, operations.
2. Minimum number necessary procedures for most diseases.
3. Versatility: treatment of the body completely, and not a separate body.
4. Minimum restrictions and contraindications both in terms of age and health.
5. Application of soft techniques safe even for babies.
6. Painless technology.
7. Fast tangible effect - sometimes immediately after the 1st procedure.
8. Possibility of treatment without expensive drugs (and without the consequences of taking them), without surgery, etc.
9. Ostepathy is not prevention or massage, but complete treatment organism , restoring balance in it (in every sense).

Indications for osteopathy:

• Curvature of the spine, disorders in the musculoskeletal system.
• Tachycardia and problems of the cardiovascular system.
• Headaches and other pains.
• Hormonal disorders.
• Mental / emotional disorders.
• Hormonal disbalance.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Arthritis, arthrosis.
• Dizziness, high/low blood pressure.
• Overweight.
• Received injuries.
• developmental delay.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Gynecological problems.
• Diseases of the ENT organs.
• , the threat of miscarriage and lumbar pain.

And so on. The possibilities of osteopathy are almost limitless.

Osteopathy - contraindications

Of course, as in any other cases, in order to get the maximum benefit from the treatment, you should remember about contraindications, in the presence of which you will either have to refuse this method or combine it with an alternative one, adjusting it together with the doctor.

• Acute heart failure.
• With bleeding.
• With tuberculosis (open / form).
• At acute disorder circulation in the brain.
• For acute bacterial infections.
• With acute mental disorders.
• With "fresh" injuries, injuries of the spine, joints.
• With thrombosis.
• At systemic diseases blood.
• With oncology.
• With diabetes.
• With hypertensive crisis, stroke, heart attack.
• With peritonitis.
• With an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.
• With myasthenia.
• At acute pain in a stomach.
• In the presence of stones in the kidneys or gallbladder.
• With renal / hepatic insufficiency.

And other diseases in the period of exacerbation.

The general condition (taking into account existing diseases) is assessed by the doctor at the reception.

How can an osteopath help a baby?

Seeing an osteopath with a newborn is a very common occurrence. And it is 100% justified even in preventive purposes- for the timely detection of pathologies and to avoid their consequences during the development period.

So, when should you take your baby to an osteopath?

Indications

1. 1-2 weeks of life. Exactly at given period According to experts, you should take your baby to an osteopath. After 3-4 weeks, there comes an age at which it is already too late to solve many complex problems. Therefore, even for the purposes of prevention, it makes sense to visit this specialist immediately after the maternity hospital from the 7th to the 28th day of life. He is able to see those pathologies that other doctors have not noticed.
2. C-section. One of the main indications for examination by an osteopath of the baby.
3. Bruises, injuries. Even with normal radiographs.
4. Screams and crying of the baby for no apparent reason. That is, when the baby cannot be calmed even with a nipple, breast and lullabies in the position “in the arms of mom”. Even if your pediatrician promises that "it will pass soon."
5. Excessive baby anxiety, high excitability, and too frequent regurgitation, colic - in the absence of effect from conventional treatment prescribed by the pediatrician.
6. Abnormal shape of the baby's head- elongated, asymmetric, etc. (for example, after using forceps during childbirth, after manipulating the baby's body, vacuum extraction). This is also an important indication for a visit to an osteopath. Deformation is not only a “strange” shape of the skull, but, alas, the impact of this change on brain function. By the age of one year, all fontanelles of the baby are closed. And correcting the asymmetry of the head is most effective until the bones of the head are fully formed.
7. Consequences of operations or birth injuries.
8. developmental delay.
9. ENT diseases and gastrointestinal problems.
10. perinatal encephalopathy.
11. Childbirth with breech/facial presentation.
12. Blockage of the lacrimal canal. This problem is solved in 2-4 sessions of osteopathy.
13. Strabismus and other vision problems.
14. Allergy.
15. Paralysis of half of the body.
16. Epilepsy.
17. Trisomy on chromosome 21.
18. Labor induction, too fast or too long labor.

When to contact?

Experts recommend - immediately after the hospital. The sooner the baby gets to an osteopath, the easier the correction will be and the less problems there will be in the future. With the help of the first session, you can, if not eliminate, then at least mitigate all the consequences of childbirth for the head of the crumbs, as well as improve the general condition.

It should be remembered! Referring to an osteopath does not replace and certainly does not cancel the treatment and supervision of your pediatrician. Consultations should complement each other, not replace!

Possibilities of osteopathy in case of head asymmetry at different stages of baby development

• 0-3 months. The best age for the correction of any anomaly in the shape of the skull crumbs. The correction does not cause difficulties, the bones are plastic, the interosseous sutures are soft/wide, the fontanelles are open.
• 3-6 months. There is a closure of some fontanelles, sealing of the seams and fusion of bones. There are already much fewer special opportunities for osteopathic correction, but it is still possible.
• 6-12 months. Modeling is no longer as efficient, although it is possible. It will take more time.
• 1-3 years. Correction is still possible, but many modeling sessions will be required.
• 3-6 years old. By this age, the sutures are already closed, the upper palate is formed, the bone is compacted. Modeling the skull is already extremely difficult, but correction of dysfunctions is effective and affordable.

Where to look for an osteopath?

There are many such specialists in our country. And many of them are true professionals in their field.

In proposals and standards professional qualities there is no shortage today, but, When choosing a specialist for a baby, you need to remember that ...

Education is number one. That is, higher medical - in a certain specialty, osteopathic (foreign schools are considered the highest quality in terms of preparation), related (neuropathology, traumatology, orthopedics, etc.).

In the Register of Osteopaths many professionals working in various fields. Choose a doctor based on the problem. For example, with cerebral palsy, problems of the musculoskeletal system, or after birth injury you should look for an osteopath with professional knowledge in orthopedics. And in case of injuries - a generalist. The presence of a doctor in the Register is a significant plus and one of the proofs of the authenticity of his diploma (unfortunately, today there are many charlatans in this area as well).

Having chosen a specialist, try to collect more information about him — reviews on the Internet, the responses of his patients. This way you will know which group of diseases your doctor specializes in and how effective his treatment is.

There are two organizations uniting osteopaths. These are ENRO (www.enro) and RRDO (www.osteopathy). The selected specialist must be a member of one of these registries, be certified and have completed special training (osteopathy) in the amount of 4000 hours with successful passing of a clinical exam, and regularly improve their qualifications.

Note - about the legality of osteopathy

The specialty of an osteopath does not have an official status, but his position was approved by order of the Ministry of Health of 2012, number 1183. That is, an osteopathic doctor who receives in a medical institution and has a license, works absolutely legally .

Where does an osteopath accept and how does it work - the main methods of treatment

Nowadays, osteopathy is no longer something fantastic - both for traditional specialists and for their patients. Certified osteopaths have been successfully working in large Russian cities for a long time, solving problems with the health of citizens. In some cases, parents make the decision to visit an osteopath on their own, in others they are referred, for example, by orthopedists or neurologists.

How does an osteopath treat, and what do you need to know about his work?

1. The osteopath works exclusively with his hands. without applying aids without prescribing pills, etc. The state of relief often comes to the patient already at the 1st procedure.
2. With the help of fingers, the specialist “listens” to the body , assessing the condition of the organs, spine, pelvis, etc. The purpose of such “listening” is to relieve strain and stress. An impressive arsenal of techniques is regularly replenished, which greatly expands the possibilities of osteopathy, but the basis of all procedures is classical techniques.
3. Each manipulation is carried out as gently as possible. . In the hands of an osteopath, you will not feel pain and discomfort, as sometimes on the masseur's table. The main task is to help the body gain symmetry, mobility, balance. That is, to return a normal and harmonious state.

Frequency and duration of sessions

For kids, sessions are usually held once a week for 15-20 minutes . For schoolchildren - once every 2 weeks.

As for the number of procedures, everything is individual here. One is enough to go to a session once to solve his problem, the other will need 8-10 procedures.

Differences in techniques

Osteopathy can be divided into 3 structures − visceral, structural and craniosacral . For crumbs up to 5 years, the latter is usually used.

Children's perception of treatment

It is worth noting that babies perceive procedures with pleasure . And parents with no less pleasure note the rapid improvement in the condition and mood of children - the metabolism of tissues improves, the brain begins to fully receive nutrients and oxygen, the pain goes away, sleep improves.

When choosing a specialist, remember that Osteopath appointment time is limited , and the average patient spends about 15 minutes in his office. The course cannot be too long. And even a repeat visit is often scheduled not “for next Tuesday”, but after 2-4 months.

Therefore, if you were immediately offered a course of treatment of 20 procedures and 2-3 times a week , this is either a charlatan or a doctor with extremely low qualifications - it is better to refuse his services.

The cost of an osteopath and a course of treatment in Russian clinics

The cost of a session with this specialist differs in different cities of Russia.

Usually 1 session with an experienced domestic doctor with experience of 10 years costs from 1000 to 5000 rubles , depending on the city, qualifications and osteopathic experience of the doctor.

The cost of the course, respectively, can be 18000-30000 rubles based on the number of procedures.

The site site warns: the information is provided for informational purposes only, and is not a medical recommendation. If you have health problems, consult a qualified doctor!

Many people in our country have heard about osteopathy, some have even tried it on themselves. But there is still no consensus on whether osteopathy is needed, whether osteopathy will help or, conversely, harm. First you need to figure out who is shown osteopathy, and who is extremely contraindicated.

“Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose."

Who is osteopathic for?

List of indications for osteopathic treatment pretty big.

• post-traumatic syndrome
• headache and migraine
• dizziness and cerebrovascular accident
• high intracranial pressure
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This is intercostal neuralgia, and sciatica, and joint pain.
• Chronic gynecological diseases. Sometimes even infertility.
• ENT diseases.
• Diseases different systems internal organs
• dystonia
• Chronic fatigue and exhaustion of the body.

In addition, osteopathy can be useful for people suffering from some psychological problems(but not psychiatric, of course) and neurosis!

The fact is that osteopathy perceives the body as a single system. According to osteopaths, the organ cannot hurt. If it hurts, then the whole body is not in order. The main principle of osteopathy is

"find health", not sickness. That is, to help the body itself restore its own health. Including in the case of neurosis. The doctor relieves the body of the tensions and spasms present in it, due to which the work of all internal organs is improved. This sometimes helps better than medication.

The osteopath helps to eliminate the source of tension in the body. This leads to relaxation and improvement. emotional state patient.

The effectiveness of osteopathy is also proved by the fact that at present time runs the process of licensing the technique in the Ministry of Health. In the meantime, it is in the status of "alternative" medicine.

But, of course, it is much better if the osteopath works in tandem with narrow specialists - therapists, neurologists, etc.

Contraindications.

Can osteopathy hurt? Yes. In the end, even drugs have contraindications, and osteopathy is a rather specific science, like manual therapy itself, to which osteopathy belongs. Here are the contraindications for an osteopathic session:

1. pregnancy

2. tumor. Also, as to regular massage. Overheating the body will only benefit cancer cells.

3. infectious diseases.

In other cases, osteopathy is completely harmless and is prescribed even for infants up to a year old, for example, for the treatment of postpartum injuries. Provided that the session will be conducted by a qualified specialist.

Text: Alexey Vodovozov

RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS turn to an osteopath - and not only for posture correction or treatment of back pain, but for almost any other problem. There are legends that osteopathy treats diseases of the stomach and intestines, relieves allergies and “improves” immunity. The “specialists” themselves tell patients about the worldwide conspiracy of pharmaceutical companies and that osteopathy is not taught in medical schools on purpose so that people get sick more. Toxicologist and medical journalist Alexei Vodovozov figured out where osteopathy came from and why it can be dangerous.

Osteopathy, based on the definition of the Russian Osteopathic Association, is “a holistic manual medical system for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the consequences of somatic dysfunctions that lead to health problems, aimed at restoring the body’s natural ability to self-correct.” Unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to wave a hand in the direction of osteopaths and say - do not pay attention, this is just another variation on the theme alternative medicine. The fact is that, in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Health No. 700n of 07.10.2015, osteopathy is a legal medical specialty. And if homeopathy or bioresonance diagnostics can be safely called alternative, osteopathy is already quite official. True, she did not become more scientific from this.

Osteopaths claim that any pathology in human body its cause is some kind of dysfunction, consisting of three components: biomechanical, rhythmogenic and neural. With the existence of the neural scientific medicine more or less agree with various diseases indeed, the control or regulation of certain processes can be violated by nervous system. But the other two components are wonders of parallel universes. Based on the osteopathic theory, with any dysfunction, there is a violation of the compliance and balance of the tissues of the human body (biomechanical component) and a violation of the production and transmission of some internal rhythms, which evidence-based medicine nothing is known (this is the rhythmogenic component). And if this composite dysfunction is corrected, the disease will recede; for example, it is possible to “set” the stomach or place it more symmetrically on the bones of the skull, restoring the “micromobility of the brain”.

"Orthodox" doctors in the 19th century practiced bloodletting and mercury treatment, which sometimes did more harm to patients than the disease itself, so the alternatives had a fairly strong position.

The osteopathic theory has a very specific author - American physician Andrew Taylor Still - and a specific date of birth - 1874. It is noteworthy that at about the same time, another inventor and dreamer - Daniel David Palmer - came up with chiropractic, and, according to their adherents, these two trends should in no case be confused with each other. Although there is a lot in common - absolutely the same unscientific basis, only chiropractors still talk about some kind of innate intelligence, the flow of which can be hindered by “subluxations of the vertebrae”, which need to be quite intensively adjusted.

The creator of osteopathy, Still, was a doctor, surgeon, and one of the founders of a fairly well-known private university in the United States affiliated with the United Methodist Church - Baker University. At the same time, he adhered to the idea that the intervention of a doctor is not required to restore health - it is enough to help the body restore "disturbed balance", and the rest he will do himself. Within the framework of this paradigm, homeopaths, hydropaths, Thomsonians and other alternatives of the 19th century acted. The "orthodox" doctors of the day practiced bloodletting and mercury treatment, which sometimes caused more harm than the disease itself, so that the alternatives had enough strong positions- after all, if the patient is given homeopathic remedies or "treated" with osteopathy, the main help will be in the absence of additional harm. From the outside it might look like effective way healing - without mercury, laxatives, opium and bloodletting.

Still had personal motives - his wife and three daughters died of meningitis; people die from this disease even today, and the medicine of the 19th century could not do anything. But he considered that it was necessary to create a new medicine that would be better and more efficient. It is known that anatomy (that is, the structure of the body and each individual organ) and physiology (functions and processes) are interconnected: each part of the body is arranged exactly in such a way as to best perform a specific task. And Still decided that since the structure and function are interconnected, then light and unobtrusive external influences on the structures of the body, primarily on musculoskeletal system(hence "osteo", that is, "bone" in the name), in order to transmit information to the internal organs, "commands" to restore impaired functions. In 1892, the first osteopathic school appeared, in which they began to train specialists " new medicine”, in the same year, Still’s fundamental work “Philosophy and Mechanical Principles of Osteopathy” was published.

Mark Twain in 1909 speaking
at the New York State Assembly, directly accused doctors of simply being afraid that osteopaths who "really heal people" would simply destroy the business of "orthodox" medicine

Osteopathy met with organized and fierce resistance from the US medical community. The American Medical Association defined this trend as nothing more than a cult, and the association's code of ethics implied that a normal doctor cannot voluntarily communicate with an osteopath. The effect turned out to be the opposite, “oppressed and persecuted official medicine» alternatives quickly gained bonus points.

In this they were helped by many politicians, public figures and famous personalities, such as the writer Mark Twain. He believed in efficiency new methodology when the osteopath seemed to relieve the symptoms of his daughter Jean's epilepsy, as well as the symptoms of Twain's own chronic bronchitis. The argument “but it helped me” in the mouth of an outstanding person and a recognized master of the word sounded extremely convincing.

“Asking a doctor’s opinion about osteopathy is like asking Satan about Christianity,” Mark Twain quipped in 1901, and in 1909, speaking at the New York State Assembly, he directly accused doctors of being simply afraid, that osteopaths who “really heal people” will simply destroy the business of “orthodox” medicine, which does nothing but prevent everything new. Familiar rhetoric - literally last year we observed it in Russia, when a memorandum was issued on the pseudoscience of homeopathy.

Masseur with a high price tag

The American Medical Association fought osteopathy for a long time, but eventually went down the "can't win, lead" path, allowing osteopaths to become real doctors and recognizing osteopathic schools as medical schools. Instead, osteopaths were given full responsibility for their patients, as it should be for licensed doctors. As a result, since the sixties, osteopaths in the United States have become family doctors practicing some kind of manual techniques.

This approach has gained momentum. Under the slogan “do what you want, but bear medical responsibility for the consequences of your actions”, osteopathy was legalized in the UK in 1993, later in Canada, France, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Portugal, Egypt and India. In all countries where osteopathy became official, approximately the same picture was observed: some osteopaths gradually moved to scientific tracks, concentrating on various methods relaxation, rehabilitation after injuries, work with contractures (restriction of movement in the joint). In this case, they turned out to be covered from the legal side - recommendations and guidelines that were previously actively used by specialists in physical therapy, massage, sports medicine and other related specialties.

In fact, in a randomized controlled trial, osteopathic manipulations were not only ineffective, but also reduced the effectiveness of rehabilitation.

Briefly, the essence of the movement was described in an interview by one osteopath: “A chiropractor is a massage therapist with a high price tag. An osteopath is a chiropractor with a hefty price tag.” That is, some of the adherents of osteopathy have successfully joined mainstream medicine, leaving only an attractive impressionable patients facade, for which they are willing to pay extra. The advantage of this approach can be considered the presence of an osteopath medical education and the opportunity, in which case, to ask him through the court as with an ordinary doctor.

In the USSR, osteopaths began active work during the period of perestroika. Starting point considered a lecture by the famous American osteopath Viola Freiman at the Turner Research Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology in Leningrad in 1988. The author of this material was present at it - everything was stated very “tasty”, harmoniously and logically, and some Soviet doctors not spoiled by alternativeism caught fire with a new idea, went to the USA to gain experience. The fact that in 1992 Fryman was accused of service inconsistency for negligent and unprofessional treatment of a patient, a week-old baby, was of little interest to anyone: weed seeds that fell on fertile soil began to sprout rapidly. As a result, by 1994, the first Russian non-state osteopathic school was created in St. Petersburg, in 2003 the Ministry of Health officially recognized osteopathy as a method of treatment, in 2012 the specialty was documented, which ended three years ago.

What is your evidence

As with any alternative technique, albeit legalized, osteopathy big problems with an evidence base. The authors of one of the few scientific reviews on the topic concluded that “there is no clinically significant difference between osteopathic and other interventions to reduce pain and improve function in patients with chronic pain in the lower back." If we analyze the results of studies that have shown the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulations, numerous design violations, errors in statistical processing of the results, or simply a misinterpretation of the data obtained are necessarily found. In one of the reviews, it turned out that in fact, in a randomized controlled trial, osteopathic manipulations were not only ineffective, but also reduced the effectiveness of rehabilitation, although the authors, of course, argued the opposite.

And even staunch osteopaths are increasingly saying that there is a lack of well-done research. Otherwise, osteopaths risk getting stuck in the wheels of history as scientific medicine continues to develop at an impressive pace.

There are contraindications

Osteopathy, of course, can also harm. Directly - hardly, osteopaths are still not chiropractic chiropractors who are ready to "set" the vertebrae and twist the patient's head so that it is damaged vertebral artery and develop a stroke. Fortunately, osteopaths are much more cautious - perhaps that is why they legalized them, and not chiropractors. And legalization, in turn, led to the fact that osteopaths got rid of the assertion that there are no contraindications. Previously, it was "everyone without exception", now - "there are a lot of contraindications."

For example, the official website of the Russian Osteopathic Association provides an impressive list of contraindications: these are a variety of infections, fever, diseases of the skin, blood, heart and lungs, benign and malignant tumors and much more. A separate line mentions acute and subacute inflammatory diseases of the head and spinal cord and its membranes - myelitis, meningitis and others, which is especially interesting in the context of the birth of osteopathy as a way of miraculous healing, including from meningitis.

If you want to see an osteopath,
First of all, make sure that it is not contraindicated for you. Also ask about the availability of all necessary documents such as a diploma and a license. And of course, keep in mind that there will be no miracles.

Indirect harm from osteopathy, as usually happens in such cases, can be done in two ways. The first is the diagnosis of a non-existent disease and its treatment for a tangible amount of money. characteristic feature“Divorce” can be considered the words of an osteopath about the need to set some internal organ, correct the symmetry of the bones of the skull, restore a certain craniosacral rhythm. The second is a waste of time when really an existing disease when specialist assistance is needed. This mainly applies to diseases from the list of contraindications - in the event that the osteopath does not bother to inform the patient about it.

If you have a burning desire to see an osteopath, first make sure that this is not contraindicated for you. Also inquire about the availability of all required documents like diploma and license. And, of course, keep in mind that there will be no miracles - you can just be helped to relax. If this is what you need, you can turn to an osteopath, and in all other cases it is better to start with specialists with a more scientific background.

Osteopathy- one of modern trends in medicine, based on a holistic view of a person and using the gentle effects of the doctor's hands on bones, ligaments and internal organs in order to correct their position and restore their function.

Osteopathic treatment directed to activation of the body's internal defenses, is to give impetus to self-balancing impaired as a result of injury or illness.

What medical sciences is it based on?

On knowledge of fundamental sciences: anatomy, physiology, histology, orthopedics, biomechanics.

Who is an osteopath, what education does he receive?

The osteopath receives general medical education in medical institute, has a specialty medical business. Later he specialized in eurology, orthopedics, manual therapy, rehabilitation, exercise therapy and, most importantly, gets special education learning from practicing osteopaths in special schools and at seminars.

First of all, he is a doctor possessing clinical thinking, possessing modern medical knowledge, but in his medical practice he uses specific osteopathic methods.

What tools and treatment methods does an osteopath use?

The only means of influencing the body are arms doctor.

it non-drug treatment with the help of special painless osteopathic techniques, of which there are over 3000.

Does the osteopath use any special diagnostic methods?

In osteopathy, there are the following special diagnostic methods. Thanks to many years of experience, the hands of an osteopath are able to catch the most inconspicuous anomalies in the location of bones and ligaments. In addition, there are special signal points indicating the location of the violation. The tension of one or another muscle group can indicate violations of the internal organs.

Once a diagnosis has been made, it can be confirmed if necessary. modern research- dopplerography, neurosonography, ultrasound, computed tomography.

What happens at the appointment with an osteopath?

Osteopathic session includes diagnosis, treatment and testing.

For diagnostics everything that he sees in the patient from the first moment of the meeting is important to the doctor: how he walks, how he sits down, how he holds his head, whether he shuffles, stoops, etc.

In the future, the osteopath, like any other doctor, interrogates, examines, palpates the patient. He then applies special osteopathic diagnostic methods, which were mentioned above.

The doctor will definitely review the data of analyzes, x-rays, ultrasound, tomography.

During treatment, the doctor uses soft active (structural) or passive (functional) techniques.

At first, the doctor relieves spasms and limitation of mobility, using his hands and spine as a natural lever.

In the second case, the doctor's actions are so soft, they follow natural motor rhythms (for example, respiratory rhythms) so much that outwardly it seems that nothing is happening.

However, it is not. Surprisingly, soft influences have a much more powerful influence than rough, generally accepted ones. Usually the patient leaves the osteopath's office rested and cheerful.

At the end of the appointment, the osteopath will testing, which allows you to compare the patient's condition before and after the session.

What diseases should be treated by an osteopath?

Is it only for diseases of the spine and joints? In short, we can say that any condition in which the mobility or body position changes are subject to osteopathic treatment.

It is clear that the osteopath deals with the pathology of the spine (osteochondrosis, radiculitis, intercostal neuralgia, consequences various injuries, scoliosis, arthrosis, flat feet) and joints (including the pelvis).

It is less well known that osteopathy can help with a variety of pathologies of the head organs:

• headaches,
• increased intracranial pressure,
• dizziness,
• consequences of head injuries, including birth,
• chronic inflammatory diseases: sinusitis, otitis,
• chronic nasal congestion,
• hearing loss, tinnitus,
• myopia, strabismus, astigmatism, glaucoma,
• malocclusion and positioning of the teeth,
• speech disorders.

And this is not a complete list.

Soft manipulations on the bones and joints of the head are the responsibility of an important branch of this science - cranial osteopathy.

What is less known is that osteopathy has tremendous potential in the treatment of disease. internal organs. It is recommended to consult an osteopath for diseases:

• lungs (chronic inflammatory diseases, allergies, asthma),
• heart (functional disorders - arrhythmias, hypo- and hypertension),
• liver and gallbladder (omission, tendency to stagnation and formation of stones),
• pancreas (hyperglycemia, chronic pancreatitis),
• kidney ( urolithiasis disease),
• small intestine(spasms, dyskinesias),
• large intestine (colitis, tendency to diarrhea and constipation, hemorrhoids),
• internal female organs(chronic inflammation, painful periods, fibroids, wrong positions uterus, infertility)
• prostate (prostatitis),
• bladder and urinary tract(inflammation, infections, enuresis)

Osteopathy, as a holistic medical system, treats not the disease, but the patient.

Can osteopathy hurt? To whom is it contraindicated?

Main principle when using osteopathic techniques - do not hurt or harm the patient. Osteopathy is not indicated for fractures, tumors, acute inflammatory diseases of the spine and joints.

Is osteopathy dangerous for pregnant women and babies?

It is to them that she is most shown. Future mother thereby providing easier and natural childbirth, and the baby - more favorable conditions for birth, the risk of birth trauma is reduced.

As for children, it is advisable to show all babies to an osteopath during the first days of life. This is especially true for children born as a result of rapid or prolonged labor, caesarean section, those who were entwined with the umbilical cord, to twins.

An osteopath should definitely show a child if he cries a lot, is capricious, restless, quick-tempered, studies poorly, suffers from strabismus, stuttering, enuresis, after injuries (especially the head and tailbone - falling with all his might on the buttocks), with inoculation brain complications.

The treatment procedure is painless and lasts only 20-25 minutes.

How is osteopathy different from manual therapy?

Techniques used in osteopathy, unlike other types manual treatment, are performed only in physiological tissue barriers, that is, they do not go beyond the physiological capabilities of the body, do not cross pain threshold. These are soft, gentle effects.

How often do you need to visit an osteopath? Is the treatment difficult?

Rhythm medical procedures is selected individually. On average, the treatment includes three sessions with a frequency of once every one to two weeks. Osteopathic doctors are prophylactically visited once every few months. At acute situation(sciatica, trauma) may require several sessions with a frequency of every other day. The session is not cheap. However, given the powerful, long-term effect and preventive focus of this medicine, the treatment will cost less than conventional.