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"Osteopathic Manipulation and AIDS"
by Dr. Karen Sandler
Published in "AIDS Project L.A." Newsletter -
Some say it's the perfect meld of both Eastern and Western medicine. Others say that only traditional
Western treatments such as drugs and surgeries should be utilized in the treatment of people with AIDS.
But those who treat and have been treated say that osteopathic manipulation is non-invasive, non-toxic method
of treating many of the symptoms associated with AIDS. It has virtually no side effects and is covered by most
insurance companies.
Osteopathy was not developed in the East, but in the midwestern United States by a frontier surgeon
named Andrew Taylor Still in the late 19th century. The central philosophy of osteopathy is that the body
has the innate ability to heal itself and that unobstructive movement in the various aspects of the body,
such as the fluid, tissues, joints, and the neuromuscular systems, leads to this innate power of self-healing.
Like a chain reaction of dominoes, when part of the structure is altered, abnormalities in other systems-the
circulatory, lymphatic and nervous-can occur, causing disease.
For example, that longstanding low back pain or
neck pain may actually be due to an old ankle or head injury. One osteopathic physician describes the body's
innate ability "as an inner wisdom which can be called upon to provide the cure. The body is trying to heal
itself, but it may need the presence of a catalyst to put that wisdom into contact with the diseased and
disharmonious part."
D.O.'s or Doctors of Osteopathy use many techniques to restore the body's harmony. They range from
subtle palpation that promotes movement of bodily fluids-such as blood, lymph and cerebrospinal-to more
assertive manipulations that move muscle, joints, and connective tissue or a combination thereof. For the
most part, I use very gentle techniques such as soft tissue, muscle energy, myofacial release, and cranial
techniques. My patients tell me that the techniques are as gentle as the gentlest massage.
One of the most asked questions is: "How does osteopathic manipulation compare to the better known
chiropractic manipulations?" Chiropractors focus primarily on the spine while Doctors of Osteopathy
study soft tissue, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and not just the movement of the vertebra, which are the
bones of the spinal column. Generally, D.O,'s have more techniques available to them and while there are
some very good chiropractors, by and large, osteopathic physicians are trained to look at the whole person.
In addition, osteopaths, like M.D.'s, go through 4 years of medical school as well as at least 1-3 years of
hospital based residency.
As seen by the following cases, osteopathy can specifically help AIDS patients:
Robert has had degenerative disc disease and depression. His T-cells count is 154. He's on numerous
medications for prophylaxis and he originally came to me because of severe fatigue. After each treatment,
Robert has experienced at least 3-4 days of increased energy level and is currently being seen by me weekly.
He now takes no antidepressive medications or any other medication to increase his energy levels.
Greg has had KS, MAI, and myopathy. His T-cells count is currently 41. He came to me with muscle spasms
in his legs that were so severe that they'd wake him up at night and sometimes prevent him from walking.
After 2-3 treatments, Greg has been able to reduce and/or virtually eliminate the medicines that treated his
muscle spasms.
Wayne, as much as possible, uses alternative medicine to treat his various ailments. He has MAC and depression
and his T-cells are at 19. He came to me because of TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) problems that were so severe
that not only did he have pain in his jaw, but he also experienced pain in his neck and the back of his head.
After 4-5 osteopathic treatments, including various gentle cranial techniques, Wayne has experience markedly
less discomfort.
Osteopathy can also help with sinusitis, headaches and various musculo-skeletal problems, including but not
limited to low back and neck pain.
There is an art as well as a science to osteopathic healing. As the founder of osteopathy once said,
"Osteopathy to me is a very sacred science. It is sacred because it is a healing power through all Nature."
(Dr. Sandler specializes in HIV/AIDS and can be reached at 310-854-2401.)
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