The etiopath is a little-known health profession. His role is to seek the cause of the suffering and to take an interest in the patient’s symptoms to better understand their origin. What does he treat? How to find it? What price?
The etiopath is a little-known health profession, close to the osteopath. This unconventional discipline consists of acting directly on the cause by taking an interest and removing symptoms. What is the role of an osteopath ? What are the benefits of etiopathy? Who can go see it? What are the prices ? How is a session going?
What is the definition of etiopathy?
Etiopathy is an exclusive manual practice historically inspired by “reboutement”. Created and developed in France by Christian Trédaniel in the 1960s, its therapeutic postulate is to “prioritize determining the cause of the pathology rather than directly eliminating its effects”. Etiopathy considers that the simple treatment of symptoms is insufficient, that it is upstream that we must intervene. The claimed indications are mainly osteoarticular functional pathologies as well as numerous digestive, genital, urinary and ENT disorders. Etiopathy is a unconventional medical discipline whose general conception consists for the practitioner in use only hands to care for patient.
What does an etiopath do?
The etiopath searches for the cause of the ailments and treats the patient only with the use of hands and based on the patient’s story and the symptoms presented to go back to the root of his ailments. The etiopath does not use drugs. He uses ancestral gestures – transmitted from generation to generation by oral tradition, then written – to restart the mechanics of the body, which he considers as a system. Thus, it restores the right balance.
Who can go see an etiopath?
Etiopathy is accessible at any age, including pregnant women, and for many pathologies ranging from joint or digestive, circulatory or respiratory, gynecological or general disorders. The etiopath strives to identify the real causes of ailments by an original method of reasoning and manual care.. By acting on different articular, nervous, digestive systems… it can overcome many chronic functional disorders. Its treatment consists of allowing the body to return to its normal activity, through one or more precise manual interventions aimed at eliminating the cause of the dysfunction. Its limits are those of medico-surgical urgency and overly advanced structural damage. Etiopathy cannot cure degenerative diseases, nor treat serious microbial conditions that will always require antibiotics, and even less replace surgery for example. Nevertheless, in certain very specific cases, it can intervene in a complementary way for certain diseases as a substitute or palliative medical treatment.
Is the profession of etiopath recognized in France?
In France, the training of etiopaths and their activities are not governed by legal texts and are not governed by the Public Health Code. The teaching of etiopathy is exclusively provided by four private educational establishments offering standardized training lasting 6 years full-time.
What is the difference between an osteopath and an etiopath?
► Common points : Etiopathy is a medical technique based on manipulations of the body; it is thus very close to osteopathy. It treats essentially the same ailments. Thus, it is possible to consult for problems of otitis, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, heavy legs, transit, osteoarthritis, sprains, migraines…
► The differences: the care of the osteopath is energetic, that of the etiopath is mechanical. Unlike the practice of etiopathy, osteopathy is practiced by trained and recognized osteopaths. Etiopathy is not regulated and not recognized, but there is a National Register of Etiopathic Practitioners.
What is the difference between a chiropractor and an etiopath?
Even if etiopathy is a manual practice close to chiropractic, it is based on a different theoretical corpus. Some techniques are indeed common to chiropractic but many gestures are specific to etiopathy. As with osteopathy, chiropractic is recognized in France, unlike etiopathy.
As explained by theFrench Institute of Etiopathya consultation with an etiopath takes place in 4 stages:
- Collection of the facts expressed at the end of a meticulous interrogation: symptoms experienced, functional gene felt, paths of pain described.
- Etiopathic investigation which consists of rigorously examining the patient to understand the underlying cause of the disorders and its potential evolution.
- Assessing the degree of scalability and urgency, in the context of the situation mentioned. And if necessary, a reorientation is proposed to the competent practitioner if the pathology escapes the field of action of the etiopathy.
- Intervention by etiopathic gestures which comply with the application rules specific to the safety of manual practices.
Support is usually short-lived (3 to 6 operations) and but a single session can be enough to put an end to sciatica, for example.
To properly prepare for your etiopathy session, it is recommended to bring your additional examinations (X-ray, scanner, MRI, ultrasound, bone densitometry, etc.) with their report and the list of medications taken for the year. Knowing well about his troubles and his personal history also helps the etiopath in his consultation.
As etiopathy is not regulated, anyone can become an etiopath without training. This is why it is recommended to find your etiopath on a site listing qualified professionals.
What studies to become an etiopath?
In France, four specialized free faculties train in the practice of etiopathy: they are located in Paris, Toulouse, Rennes and Lyon. Admission is based on application and motivational interview after obtaining the baccalaureate or after obtaining a higher education diploma (bachelor, master, doctorate, etc.).
The free faculties of etiopathy prepare for the title of etiopath after 6 years of study. The paid training (about €6,600 per year depending on the faculties) consists of three cycles, allowing the learning of the fundamentals of etiopathy, anatomy, physiology, the dysfunction of biological systems, etc., the learning of techniques of manipulation.
How much does a session with the etiopath cost? Is it reimbursed?
The fees of etiopaths are free and generally included between 40 and 80 € depending on the region. The consultation is not reimbursed by Health Insurance but can be covered by certain mutual insurance companies.