Osteopathy in Berlin Friedrichshain / Kreuzberg

Below, I would like to give you an overview of the history, effects, and procedures of osteopathy. Although osteopathy is considered the supreme discipline of manual medicine, it is limited to the structure of the body.

For this reason, I integrate osteopathy into other therapy methods in most cases to ensure the most holistic therapy possible

To plan therapy, I therefore conduct a thorough analysis of my patients' overall health before each treatment. This includes, at a minimum, a thorough medical examination, an osteopathic examination, and kinesiological muscle testing. This is necessary not only to assess the effectiveness of individual therapies but also for patient safety.

Procedure of osteopathy treatment

At the beginning of the osteopathic treatment, a detailed medical history is taken, followed by an osteopathic examination. The osteopath examines the tissues using various osteopathic approaches, functional Diagnostics, neurological examination methods and some muscle tests.

An osteopathic session typically lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. After an osteopathic treatment, the body needs at least 1-2 weeks to respond to the therapy and mobilize its self-healing powers. After that, a follow-up osteopathic therapy session is performed as needed. Each treatment should be tailored to the patient's specific findings and should lead to a noticeable improvement in symptoms within 2-3 sessions.

If osteopathy alone does not eliminate or significantly alleviate your symptoms, your osteopath will advise you on further diagnostic or therapeutic options. An interdisciplinary approach is often necessary. Other naturopathic procedures and specialist interventions can be integrated into osteopathy.

What is osteopathy?

The human body is interconnected by fascia, muscles, tendons, joints, and bony structures. Control is provided by the central and peripheral nervous systems, which are controlled by the brain.

From an osteopathic perspective, the various systems are interconnected both functionally and structurally. Their mobility may be restricted. Depending on the osteopathic lesion, joint misalignments, fascial adhesions, muscular tension, or bone restrictions are treated using appropriate manipulation techniques.

A restriction of movement in one part of our body results in compensatory changes throughout the body. Often, the pain symptoms and the source of the problem are far apart. Under certain circumstances, a disorder of the organs (visceral osteopathy) or the craniosacral osteopathic system (skull – sacrum system) can lead to chronic back pain.

In osteopathy, the original, primary restrictions and disorders are palpated and treated. To assess the primary cause of the disease, precise diagnostics are essential. Causes such as anatomical leg length discrepancies, compensations due to organic diseases, temporomandibular joint disorders, accidents, and overuse syndromes must be differentiated from one another.

Here, the Kinesiology In the context of osteopathic medicine, it represents an excellent opportunity for diagnostic guidance, enabling more targeted and effective osteopathic treatment.

History of Osteopathy

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, who lived as a physician in America from 1828 to 1917, founded a revolutionary concept in the mid-19th century, understanding human health as the interplay of mind, body, and spirit. Based on his anatomical studies as a physician, he came to the realization that humans have the potential to heal within themselves. He saw functional mobility in all bodily systems as a prerequisite for this. He recognized the supply of tissue by lymph and blood, with a functioning central and peripheral nervous system, as a prerequisite. He presented his "New Medicine" to the public in 1874. Dr. Still founded the first school of osteopathy in 1982 in Kirksville, Missouri, USA - today's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Since osteopathy was legally recognized in America in the first half of the 20th century, osteopathic medicine has been further developed by many renowned osteopaths, such as Dr. William Garner Sutherland. Dr. Sutherland is considered the founder of craniosacral osteopathy, which focuses on the pulsating rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid, which can be felt throughout the body.

The French osteopath Jean-Pierre Barral expanded osteopathy to include visceral osteopathy around 1980. Visceral osteopathy examines the mobility and position of organs and describes how these can be treated.

Osteopathy is now divided into three sub-areas: visceral osteopathy, partial osteopathy and craniosacral osteopathy.

Today, approximately 54000 osteopaths practice osteopathic medicine in America. They hold the title DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) and are physicians. This title is often interchangeable with the German DO, which is not an academically acquired title but rather a trademark (patented) of the VOD (Association of German Osteopaths). The osteopath has developed an osteopathic theory that is intended to meet scientific standards.

"Osteopath" is not a recognized profession in Germany. Osteopathy is a medical therapy whose practice is permitted only by physicians and alternative practitioners.

To be reimbursed by health insurance companies, the practitioner must provide evidence of osteopathic training in addition to their professional qualification as a doctor/alternative practitioner. Alternative practitioners must complete at least 1350 hours of osteopathic training to be recognized by health insurance companies. 700 hours of osteopathic training are sufficient for medical doctors to be recognized.

Patients with the following conditions often visit our osteopathy practice:

musculoskeletal

Muscle tension, sciatica, shoulder pain, herniated discs, hip pain, pelvic tilt, functional leg length discrepancy, cervical spine syndrome, DCM (craniomandibular dysfunction), whiplash, foot injuries, knee pain, cervical/lumbar/thoracic spine syndrome, tennis elbow, heel spur