THE PRINCIPLES OF
Osteopathic Medicine
I. The body is an integral unit, a whole, the structure of the body and its functions work together, interdependently.
To restore a body to a healthy balance requires treatment of the whole body, not just one part, for each part has a relationship to the rest of the body. Proper balance among the parts means health while improper balance means susceptibility to disease and illness.
II. The body systems have built-in repair processes which are self-regulating and self-healing in the face of disease.
According to the principles of Hippocrates, the measures which aid the natural process are the appropriate ones.
III. The circulatory system or the distributing channels of the body, along with the nervous system, provide the integrating functions for the rest of the body.
Their free and unimpeded flow carries both the maintenance and repair capabilities of the body.
IV. The contribution of the musculoskeletal system to a person’s health is much more than providing framework and support.
It is one of the most vulnerable considerations in response to stress. Improper musculoskeletal functioning can impede essential blood and nerve supply.
V. While disease may be manifested in specific parts of the body, other body parts may contribute to a restoration or correction of the disease.
The correct diagnosis and treatment of those somatic (body framework) components may have a significant effect on returning the whole body to health.
