Osteopathy was founded by an American physician called Andrew Taylor Still (1828 – 1917) on 22 June 1874. Happy 150th birthday Osteopathy! Still lived in Kansas and two experiences led him to seek a better means of healthcare. First, he was a frontline doctor during the American Civil War and found that the drugs and surgery at the time were useless, or worse, against wounds and infections. Secondly, three of his children died of meningitis, at a time when medicine knew neither the cause nor the cure for the disease.
Andrew Taylor Still – Image thanks to the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville
He observed that people did not invariably die of many diseases and that sometimes they recovered without medical aid. So, one of the founding principles of osteopathy is that the body has its own self-healing powers. Another is that a person is a unit of mind, body and spirit (a revolutionary idea at the time!) and that structure and function are interrelated (if the structure of your leg is broken you lose the function of walking, for example, but it applies down to the tiniest structures in our body).
We are proud to be osteopaths 150 years later, when Still’s founding principles remain true and many osteopaths, between his time and ours, have built on his ideas. New technology and research and developments in medical science have brought fresh understanding, but we retain his whole person, caring approach. Here are some thoughts on what makes us #proudosteopaths at Eyre Place:
“I love to see patients feeling better about themselves mentally and physically. Sometimes it is the joy of getting back to doing something they love, sometimes it is feeling able to try a new activity. It’s not just about the hands on treatment, it’s about bringing attention to posture and breathing, of showing someone how to do an action mindfully to protect their muscles and joints.”
Ailis
“I’m proud to be an osteopath to empower patients (mums especially) to trust their bodies and instincts. If we just pay attention to how we feel and what our bodies want and need, we usually know what to do and when to ask for help. Often I will ask a patient what they are doing to relieve their symptoms and they are already instinctively doing exactly the right thing!”
Jacqui
“For the more acute patient, to see them get better, whether that’s less pain, more mobility, return to function or activity, is truly wonderful. For the patient with persistent pain, to be able to support them on their journey, be that on an ongoing basis, or until they get the imaging or procedure they need, is really special. I’ve developed some lovely relationships with this group of patients over the years and I honestly sometimes look at my diary and think ‘yay, so and so is in today, I can’t wait to see them for a catch up.”
Jane
“I am proud of osteopathy’s heritage and how Still’s ideas remain relevant today. Another of his principles is called “the rule of the artery” which says that you can find the source of disease in disturbance to the blood supply. This is so true and I use it every day to help me understand patients’ problems and set them on the road to better health. It is a joy and a privilege to be an osteopath to people of all ages. Whenever I treat a newborn baby I know I am really treating the whole family – if baby is happy and settled, so is everyone else in the household!”
Mary
“Every time I treat a patient I’m reminded how lucky I am. I love being part of the patient journey, sensing the body sigh and seeing a patient’s face light up when they experience how amazing the benefits of treatment can be. Osteopathy is also a dynamic and inspiring career choice. The people who become osteopaths are some of the most diverse and talented people I’ve met. I’m so lucky to have them as colleagues.
My passion has developed further over recent years as I have been involved with the leadership and policy side of osteopathy. Being present to care for the wellbeing of my colleagues and the development of our profession seemed like a natural extension to my clinical work.“
Glynis
