Risch Andreas.pdf - Osteopathic Research

combined personal and professional experience, the deep philosophical and
emotional discussion of the topic of health and the intensive relationship of osteopath
and patient in front of a social and ethical background show up in the qualitative
analysis of metaphors. Ultimately health itself in my opinion seems to become a
metaphor for everything osteopathy stands for.
A strong focus on bio-mechanic or technical aspects which are generally the main
aspects in osteopathic education and training could not be identified. Difficulties to
differentiate between individual subjective experience and osteopathic professional
status, deficits in intra- and interdisciplinary and osteopath-patient communication
and a lack of reflection on osteopathic language raise conflicts and confusion within
osteopathy (Liem et al., 2008) and impede in my opinion the process of developing a
unified professional identity.
Metaphors serve predominantly in osteopathic medicine for the communication with
colleagues, other medical practitioners and patients. By constituting osteopathic
theories and practice (e.g. concepts of health or illness, diagnosis and methods of
treatment) metaphors can help to realize osteopathic possibilities, but can also limit
them. By reflecting and integrating complementary aspects of medical care
metaphors can help to become more aware of ethical and social implications of
health in osteopathy. The metaphoric concepts help to articulate and express
practical experience and relationships in osteopathy under the condition that they are
consciously reflected in order to use their cognitive qualities and not being used by
them.
The results in this metaphor analysis as a new method of qualitative scientific
research are encouraging to conduct further studies on the function of language and
communication in osteopathy. This might help to reach a better understanding of
interoceptive sensory experience of health and its effect in osteopathic practice. The
results might lead to new insights into osteopathic concepts and to further
developments of the profession of osteopathy.