Bone Setting. Contributed by @Datibomchic.

According to Balance Health bone setting refers to the manipulation or "setting" of fractured bones, ruptured sinews and muscles in order to alleviate an injury.
A bonesetter is one who is involved in the act of bone setting. He/she is a practitioner of joint manipulation. They have always been in existence even before the advent of Chiropractors, Osteopaths and physical therapists.
Bonesetters also reduce dislocations in the joint and treat fractures.
Bone setting is one of the five traditional branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is considered to be the basis for the development of modern Chiropractic and Osteopathy.

The practice of joint manipulation and treating of fractured can be dated back to ancient times and has roots in most countries. Early bonesetters treated fractures with wooden splints wrapped in bandages or made a plaster-like mixture which is used as a cast around the injured area. Some monks and nuns of the British Isles with some knowledge of medicine went ahead to become healers and bonesetters.
However, many bonesetters were non-religious and the majority of them had no formal training. They were self-taught. They then passed on their knowledge and skills from generation to generation, creating families of bonesetters.

The Wonders of Traditional Bone Setting in Nigeria

The story of traditional bone setting in Nigeria is as old as any other traditional healing medicine provided by the people who are known to possess supernatural powers or have the knowledge of the therapeutic powers of herbal medicine.
The practice of traditional bone setting is extensive in Nigeria and it enjoys enormous patronage by the populace. In Nigeria, the traditional bone setters perhaps more than any other group of traditional care-givers enjoy high patronage and confidence by the society.

Indeed, the patrons of this service cuts across every strata of the society including the educated and the rich. Many reasons account for this including the belief that diseases and accidents have spiritual components that need to be tackled along with treatment. The age of their clients ranges from the newborn with musculoskeletal deformity to the very elderly with fractures. The commonest problems treated by them are fractures and dislocations.

Methods Used

The different methods used in Nigeria are:

• Use of splints and bamboo stick or rattan cane or palm leaf axis with cotton thread or old cloth. This is wrapped tightly on the injured part and left in place for the first 2-3 days before intermittent release and possible treatment with herbs and massage.

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• Massage and manual traction of the affected bone. This may be done exclusively or in conjunction with the use of traditional splint and herbs application. Fractures that fail to heal with the routine treatment of splinting and massaging may be given further traditional treatment by way of scarifications, sacrifices and incantations.
  Though the practice of traditional bone setting in Nigeria may have its perks, bone setting in general helps particularly with joint pain, relocation of joints, muscle pain, swelling, contusion, sprains and even menstrual pain, stomachache, headache and dizziness.

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