Osteopathy

In Malaysia, osteopathy seems to be a strange term compared to the well-known chiropractic and tit-tar services. So in this post, I'm going to explain what is osteopathy, how is it different from chiropractic and why did I choose to become an osteopath.

What Is Osteopathy?

By definition, osteopathy is a type of alternative treatment that emphasizes massage and physical manipulation of muscles and bones.

Osteopathy was founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still. He was a physician / surgeon / author / inventor, as well as territorial and state legislator in Kansas. While being a co-founder of Baker University, he also help established the American School of Osteopathy, which is now known as A.T Still University - the world's first osteopathic medical school in Kirksville Missouri. Dr. Andrew Still claimed that "human illness was rooted in problems with the musculoskeletal system, and by hands-on manipulation, these problems could be solved and cured by harnessing the body's own healing potential."

Here you go, a handsome picture of the Father of Osteopathy - Dr. Andrew Taylor Still

How Is Osteopathy Different From Chiropractic?

This is the most commonly asked question while working as an osteopath in Malaysia since most people here only know about chiropractic or tit-tar services. 

Well, there is no distinctive line between these two as there is a huge overlap between the therapies and treatments performed.  

The fundamental difference between osteopathy and chiropractic is the philosophy of treatment. Chiropractors believe spine subluxation is the main cause of body problems and it can be solved by altering the signals travel along the nerves through spine adjustment. Osteopaths on the other hand adopt a more global approach. Instead of believing the cause of illness is always due to a spine dysfunction, they believe the human body system works as a whole.

There is also some differences in terms of patient assessment. Chiropractors tend to use more technology during assessment, with X-ray being the most commonly used tool. After screening, chiropractors will explain the findings and treatment plan, then only perform treatment on the next appointment. While for osteopaths, they rarely use any equipment but rely mostly on patient case history, palpation and orthopedic assessment to come out with a treatment plan. Treatment can usually be done within the same session.

Lastly is the treatment itself. Chiropractic treatment is usually very quick (± 15 minutes) and consists almost purely of bone adjustment (joint clicking). In other word we said in Mandarin is - 头痛医头，脚痛医脚. In contrary, osteopathic treatment will last over 30 minutes or so. It often involves a lot of soft tissue therapy or massage, stretching, joint mobilization, muscle energy techniques, and of course, joint adjustment when necessary. Osteopaths believe by releasing soft tissues, human body will relax, hence find it less aggressive when comes to joint adjustment. After all, not everybody finds the "joint cracking or clicking" sound appealing, and we definitely do not want to give our client a traumatic treatment experience.

Why Did I Choose to Become An Osteopath?

The answer to this question is simple - The satisfaction of being able to help people to get rid of pain is beyond describable. 

I graduated with a Bachelor degree in Nutrition and Master Degree in Pharmaceutical Science. After working a few years as an office lady, life gets pretty bored and meaningless. So I took up massage course so as to learn a new skill with my after-work hours. That's where I met my current business partner, Stephen (This is not a love story!). I was having back pain and tennis elbow back then and he helped me with osteopathic treatment. It works wonder!! I have to confess that I find the joint clicking sound and sensation addictive (better than drug or alcohol addiction right?).

Then he introduced me to the osteopathy course in NUMSS. After some research, I thought why not? So I took up the course and practice osteopathy while working in our clinic - Han Wellness Care Service. We aim to integrate the knowledge from our previous education (TCM, Acupuncture, Medical QiGong, Aromatherapy and Nutrition) with osteopathic treatment, thereby ensuring a more holistic approach in patient's healthcare. 

Our business is now growing steadily and patients genuinely like us. They came to our clinic in agony and leave with a smile on their faces. We even have a small Spanish community in our clinic because our first Spanish client just can't stop introducing his friends to us as osteopathic treatment is no stranger to them. The sense of achievement here is what I have never had from the previous 9-5 jobs. So yeah, I'm glad I made the right choice to become an osteopath.