What is Manual Osteopathy?

Manual Osteopathy is a holistic technique that believes the body has an innate or natural ability to heal itself. The goal of Manual Osteopathy is to restore balance and harmony to the nervous, circulatory, visceral, reproductive, respiratory, musculoskeletal and lymphatic systems to enhance the body's ability to heal. 

Manual Osteopathy is grounded in four principles:

1. Every structure in the body supports the body’s overall function. If one structure is damaged or not working properly the body will not function optimally. 
2. The natural flow of the body’s fluids – lymphatic, vascular and neurological – must be preserved and maintained.
3. The human body is the sum of its parts. The body's physical, emotional, social, and spiritual systems do not work independently -they work in harmony together. 
4. When the body has no restrictions, it has the inherent ability to heal itself.

A manual osteopathic therapist employs a variety of techniques to release any imbalances they find in the body that is impeding the body’s own healing process. These manual hands on techniques may include:

• Soft tissue manipulation
• Myofascial release
• Lymphatic drainage
• Osteopathic articular manipulation
• Visceral manipulation
• Muscle energy techniques
• Cranio-sacral techniques
• Neuromuscular techniques

**Insurance companies do not currently facilitate direct billing for manual osteopathic practitioners. Speak with your practitioner as to whether your specific treatment plan might qualify for coverage under massage benefits.