We owe osteopathy to Andrew Taylor, an American doctor of the 19th century:he will approach the mechanics of the human body differently, focusing his care on the study of the anatomy and physiology of the patient, that is to say the structure and organs on the one hand, as well as their functioning on the other.
The osteopath needs the contact of his hands with the patient's body. His tools are therefore his hands with which he will feel the body to clearly identify the anatomical dysfunctions:tendons, muscles, bones (osteon means bone ), nerves, joints, organs (liver, stomach, intestine...). It is only at the end of a precise palpation allowing to clearly identify the body and its tissues, that the osteopathic treatment can begin with a manipulation. This aims to restore mobility to the joints. The osteopath will thus read the body through the prism of the musculoskeletal system.
As soon as a region of your body malfunctions, you can consult an osteopath, and even if you have no pain! Pain in the kidneys, back, neck, legs, arms...all musculoskeletal pain. However, other ailments can also be treated by osteopathy, if they have a link with the skeleton:this is the case of migraines, stomach pains or, quite simply, stress.
Children are also very receptive patients to osteopathy, especially newborns. The latter had their skulls a little heckled during childbirth:the osteopath will be able to put the various cranial bone parts back in place.
Osteopathy is a bit of a victim of its own success:patches of osteopaths have sprung up all over the place, so one wonders how to select the right practitioner without being fooled. Obviously, word of mouth is always a non-criterion but that is not enough. The formations have also multiplied, of unequal quality.
Since December 2014, the Ministry of Health has approved establishments likely to be able to issue a diploma that can be registered with the ARS (Regional Health Agency). Check the list of approved schools on the Ministry of Health website. It can also be very interesting to contact an osteopathic doctor, that is to say that he is, first and foremost, a doctor, and that he has also been trained in osteopathy. Thus, if he detects a more serious pathology or one that cannot be treated by osteopathy, he can prescribe medication or refer you to a specialist, if necessary.
The cost of a consultation with an osteopath varies between cities and practitioners between 40 and 100 €. Although the osteopathic discipline is recognized, it is not reimbursed by Social Security. Some mutuals cover part of the osteopathy costs as part of an "alternative medicine" package, for example.
If you want to discover osteopathy in detail, a practical little book has just been released:"Osteopathy for Dummies " written by five professionals, Renan Bain, Eytan Beckmann, Arthur Milley, Frederic Pariaud, Jean-Jacques Vignaux (Editions First - February 2016).
