Further Information
Osteopathy looks at the complete function of a person. Three interdependent systems are considered, namely:
1. Parietal (muscles, joints, bones, etc)
2. Visceral (organs with their suspension systems, organ systems, circulation of blood and lymph)
3. Cranial (cranial plates with their connections, spinal canal, brain and nerves with sheathing, cerebral spinal fluid circulation)
And all connections between these systems.
Osteopathy is based on a number of principles, namely:
1. The body is a biological unit
2. Structure and function are inter-related
3. Balance and self-regulation
These principles apply during treatment and are used to understand and treat the symptoms..
The body functions by the law of conservation of:
♦ Energy
♦ Comfort
♦ Balance
This means that the body will try and retain its comfort and balance using as little energy as possible. If something goes wrong with the body it will compensate so that it remains functioning according to this law.