The science of Osteopathy, which involves the technique of manipulation by hand to treat patients, is quite simple in nature, but equally difficult in application. It is simple, because it involves no plethora of medicines or the intricacies of surgical dissensions, and employs just one hand to diagnose, feel and treat the patient, just by the touch.
On the contrary it is too difficult, because it is an art also, which requires regular and life-long devotion and practice, just like a sitarist, who by constant practice, can feel the slightest difference in the vibrations of the strings of the sitar to produce particular ragas. Mere study of the science cannot teach an art.
In the chapter on Rod-therapy, we have described that the distribution of nerves in the body is managed through the spine. Thus the main part of the body, that the Osteopath takes up for treatment is the spine. Dr. K.M. Modi, in his book on Osteopathy, describes that man is vertebrate, that is, he has a back-bone called the spine, extending from head to tail.
The shape of the spine is somewhat like a sitar. Comparing the spine to a sitar, Dr. Modi compares the osteopath to the master who plays the sitar. He means to say that the Osteopath has to acclimatise by constant practice, his hand and fingers with every muscle, ligament joint and vertebrae of the spine, so as to correctly diagnose the affected part and then apply his hand for its treatment.
The vertebrae are a series of small irregular bones placed in such a way that they carry on different movements, support the weight of the trunk and transmit it to the lower limb. The vertebrae are thirty-three in number. The spine is not straight. It has curves. The vertebrae are held together by the inter-vertebral joints, which perform two contradictory functions for the spine, in giving it a rigid support, as well as flexible movement. The joints consist of the disc, the ligaments, the muscles and nerves, etc.
The inter vertebrate disc is interposed between the adjacent surfaces of the bodies of the vertebrae and form the chief bond between them. The disc absorbs the pressure’ on the vertebrae and also keeps them together. It serves as a buffer between the two and is the chief shock-absorber of the body. The disc is like a sponge in nature and is able to absorb fluid as also diffuse out its own contents so that the consistency of the disc keeps on changing.
That is why, Dr. Modi says, that the height of a person is increased by 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch after a night’s sleep, which is not accounted for due to the straightening of the curves of the spine.
Besides the manipulation of the spine for certain treatment related to it, the correct posture of the body also is a part of Osteopathic treatment. Some Osteopaths have been curing their patients of their aches and pains, simply by teaching them how to stand, to sit, or do different daily routine, that is, by teaching them the postures. Correct posture keeps you healthy, and makes you smart.
The other important consideration in Osteopathic treatment is the type of bed, one has to use. A hard bed is best for health. The modern types of beds with Dunlop cushions are the cause of several bodily aches and abdominal irregularities, which can be avoided by sleeping straight on hard wooden beds. In yoga, the shavasana or the ‘corpse pose’ is practised.
There is a Sanskrit sloka in Bhava Prakasha by Rajeshwar Dutt Shastri, which tells us “To sleep on a proper bed stimulates the heart, a person gets good sleep, develops better patience, and his health improves. Sleeping on a bed has an opposite effect. By sleeping on Khat (a bed on four legs with tightened strings atop, or the charpoi) helps rheumatism and cough.
He who sleeps on bare earth will be more virile and strong. A wooden bed is ‘Vatha’, Killer of wind. He, who sleeps on a wooden plank will get cured of all his aches and pains”. And so has Charak recommended a hard bed for good health.
To maintain the spine straight while sitting, standing or doing any job is important and so, too, while lying on the bed. It is more essential when you are suffering from back pain, or neck pain. When you lie on a soft bed, the heavier part of the body sinks deeper in bed, the lighter part staying up, thus increasing the curvatures of the spine and putting a lot of undesired strain on the spine.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves are testimony to this practice of lying straight on beds, which were made straight by cutting the rocks for the Buddhist monks and disciples.
Exercise is also a part of the manipulation art of Osteopathy. They tone up the muscles and help to maintain a good posture. The old village exercise of ‘Dand-Baithak’ and the yogic asanas are examples of good exercise. Lack of exercise makes the muscles slack and the ligaments become elongated, with the result that keeping good and straight posture lends added strain to such a person and causes pains.
A faulty posture and gravity impede the return of blood to the heart. If a faulty posture is maintained for a long time, blood congestion takes place, affecting the breathing process.
The central nervous system depends upon the integrity of the spinal column. As all the impulses coming and going between the brain, the spinal cord and the peripheral nerves, have to pass through inter-vertebral system, it can be very easily disturbed by faulty posture and, in return, can affect any part of the nervous system. Hence the stress on right posture laid in Osteopathy.