Harnessing the body's internal potential to heal, could be a holistic solution for people suffering from muscular, joint or bone disorders

• Pain is the most common symptom of muscular, joint and bone disorders. 
• Osteopathy, a physical process of moving, stretching and massaging a person’s muscles and joints, could be a natural solution to detecting, treating and preventing common conditions like lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, sports injury and problems with posture while driving, work or during pregnancy. 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 January 2016:  People suffering from painful muscular and bone conditions can now explore an alternative and non-invasive treatment option known as Osteopathy in the UAE. Musculoskeletal disorders are common conditions that affect the bones, muscles and joints, leading to pain and discomfort that interfere with daily life. Several factors contribute to the development of these disorders including age, occupation, activity level and lifestyle . Experts at the Osteopathic Health Centre are encouraging patients to take proactive measures to address and manage their pain. They believe that by exploring a body’s natural and holistic healing potential, for the treatment of muscular and joint pain, can provide long term benefits in preventing disability. Osteopaths do not simply concentrate on treating the problem area, but use manual techniques to balance other systems of the body, to provide overall good health and wellbeing.

Osteopathy is a natural form of manual medicine based on the philosophy that disease and dysfunction are mainly due to the loss of the body’s structural integrity. Looking for the cause of the pain rather than relieving symptoms, osteopathic treatment aims to restore the structural balance in the body and promote its optimal health. It follows a set of unique natural principles, the first being the body’s ability to heal itself. 

“More and more, we see patients from various age groups seeking consultation. Sedentary lifestyle and vitamin D deficiency contribute to the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. All age groups including infants, youth and the elderly can benefit from this type of treatment without side effects. Osteopaths can complement the advice given by general practitioners. For example, people who suffer from arthritis are often prescribed medication by their doctor. In addition to that, Osteopaths can ease the pain caused by joint and muscle stiffness, by improving joint mobility and the flow of blood to the joints, and show arthritis sufferers how to prevent causing injury to themselves,” said Malcolm Gregory, Senior Osteopath at Osteopathic Health Centre.

Viewing the patient as a whole, osteopaths consider the patient as one unit and in turn believe that one affected area can cause imbalance in the harmony of the entire body. Moreover, osteopaths consider that structure and function are inter-related, meaning that an abnormality in the musculoskeletal system can affect other body systems to function properly, including the nervous and circulatory systems, leading to pain and sickness. Treating these abnormalities allows the body’s self-healing mechanism to operate properly.

“Pain and discomfort resulting from musculoskeletal disorders can interfere with a person’s daily life and influence the tasks they can perform2. Therefore, it is essential that patients seek expert consultation to avoid the progression of the disorders and maintain a healthy and comfortable quality of life. We help with non-medicinal treatment of common complaints such as infant colic and latching problems, back, neck shoulder, hip and knee pain, sports injuries, and arthritis to name a few. The holistic approach adopted by osteopathy provides patient-centered care in a multidisciplinary health care environment,” commented Youssef Youssef, Osteopath at Osteopathic Health Center. 

Founded in 1874, Osteopathy considers every patient to be different and applies condition specific treatment protocols for each patient. Mother and baby care, stress management, and geriatric treatment are some of the other areas that osteopathic treatment addresses. In addition, osteopaths focus on educating patients on proper posture and tips to avoiding musculoskeletal dysfunction in the future.