Have you ever thought about how remarkable the body is at healing? If you get a paper cut your body automatically begins to repair the wound, you don’t really have to do a thing. The same principle applies to many other conditions and circumstances. Of course the body does need help from time to time, but sometimes it seems like we don’t give our bodies enough credit. It’s amazing that we’re even breathing! Osteopaths believe that the body is equipped with the tools needed for health, and that it is factors like stress or imbalances which cause sickness and disease. Today, our article focuses on unpacking the important parts of the immune system so you know more about how your body works, and so you can take some steps to help your body out when you’re feeling under the weather.
Did you know that the name of the clinic has been thought through by the osteopaths of the team because it just about sums up what osteopathy is about? An osteopath’s job is to assist the body’s natural self-healing mechanism. In medicine, this is called homeostasis, a management of the different systems composing your body in order to stay healthy (an automatic well-being thermostat, if you like).
This changes the game, as we are not saviors but, rather, are here to give a hand to a well-oiled machine that is the human body; designed with its own defence system and compensatory mechanism that sometimes needs some help when it is lacking sleep, stressed, or overworked. Our immune system is influenced by our hormones and our nervous system. It is composed of different parts:
Osteopathy restores the function of the body, and an osteopath works on different systems in order to allow your natural immunity to be at its strongest. Thanks to:
- Musculoskeletal (structural) techniques: Restriction of mobility and tensions in muscles/joints/connective tissues will be lifted, allowing a better flow of blood and lymph to circulate throughout the body. Moreover, the bone marrow of some bones in your body produces white blood cells (infection fighters).
- Visceral (digestive) techniques: Your guts are not just your body’s composting box, they are also very important to your immune system. We will make sure your intestines are moving properly, check the emunctories responsible for the detoxing process in the body (lungs, kidneys, colon, liver), have a look at the motion of your diaphragm (for better oxygenation and pressure regulation matters), and of the immune organs like the liver and spleen.
- Cranial techniques: In a fight or flight state our immunity is weak so we ensure that your nervous system is balanced in its task. And if you are unfortunately already sick, we have some adjustments we can perform to help the drainage of the sinuses and help headaches.
Your osteopath’s job is to do preventative medicine to allow your natural immunity to run optimally, but if you’re sick don’t worry, we’re also here for you and we might even help you feel better faster!
If you would like to know more about your built-in pharmacy, you might enjoy this other article we wrote: Your Built-In Pharmacy might be helping your Immunity more than you realize!
You can book an appointment with Osteopathic therapist by booking online with me or by calling the clinic at 403-910-1133.