MANUAL OSTEOPATHIC MANIPULATION THERAPY is a form of treatment based on the concept that the structure of the human body influences the function. The goal of treatment is to improve the body’s structure. This in turn, enables the body to function at a higher level of health. Abnormal functioning of one area of the body can cause symptoms to present elsewhere in the body. When the body is in balance there is no excessive stress anywhere in the body, but when the body becomes out of balance this can be amplified to other areas.
Osteopathy is a ‘whole body’ system of manual therapy, based on unique bio- mechanical principles, which uses a wide range of techniques to treat musculo-skeletal problems and other functional disorders of the body.
Manual osteopathy is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal and joints complaints. The manual osteopathic practitioner typically uses his hands to provide manual treatment in order to decrease pain and improve function. The practitioner adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient.
Most patients feel relaxed and more mobile immediately after a treatment. Occasionally a patient may feel dizzy or experience mild muscle soreness, fatigue, or tenderness, similar to excessive sports activities or flu-like symptoms for several days. This is often a part of the healing process, and should improve after a few days.
CHILDREN CAN BENEFIT from manual osteopathic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort.
MANIPULATIVE THERAPY FOR THE GERIATRIC PATIENT varies with the specific problem: The goal is to return the patient to a degree of independence in daily activity, stretching tight fascial sheaths, aid digestion and elimination, relieve pain, restoration and maintenance of autonomic balance, and increase the patient’s feeling of well-being.
TREATMENT RISKS of manual osteopathic treatment has been proven to be remarkably safe, much safer than taking painkillers or surgery, however, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. Patients rarely experience side effects as osteopathic manual therapy is considered one of the safest and most non-invasive forms of treatment.
Manual osteopathic practitioners care for patients of all ages, with a variety of health conditions. They are especially well known for their expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches…..particularly with their highly skilled soft tissue therapy and joint mobilization. They also care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal and joints systems, involving the muscles, ligaments and joints. These painful conditions often involve or impact the nervous system, which can cause referred pain and dysfunction distant to the region of injury. The benefits of manual osteopathy care extend to general health issues, as well, since our body structure affects our overall function. Manual osteopaths also counsel patients on exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.
Manual osteopathy is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal and joints complaints. Although manual osteopathy has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with manual osteopathy, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following manual osteopathy treatment, but some may experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise or massage. Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness following soft tissue therapy typically fades within 24 hours.
It is important for patients to understand the risks associated with some of the most common treatments for musculoskeletal pain — prescription and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) — as these treatments may carry risks significantly greater than those of manual osteopathy treatment. According to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen.
Children can benefit from manual osteopathy care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Manual osteopathy care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.
Manual osteopathy treatment is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the manual osteopath’s intense and comprehensive education. The manual osteopath typically uses his or her hands to provide manual treatment in order to decrease pain and improve function. Manual osteopathy treatment is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The manual osteopath adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
The hands-on nature of the manual osteopathy treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the manual osteopath a number of times. In contrast, a course of treatment from medical doctors often involves a pre-established plan that is conducted at home (i.e. taking a course of antibiotics once a day for a couple of weeks). A manual osteopath may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Your manual osteopath should tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last.
The number of treatments depends on the condition patient is suffering. For chronic or acute pain; patients generally have up to three manual osteopathy treatment sessions two to three weeks apart. The frequency is generally reduced when the condition is managed.
Manual osteopathy; also known as pure osteopathy, European osteopathy, drugless osteopathy, and manual osteopathic practice; is a health care profession founded in 1874 by Dr. Andrew T. Still in the USA, that focuses on disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal and joint system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Manual osteopathic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal and joints complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches. Manual osteopaths practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care. In addition to manual therapy they are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide lifestyle counseling and administer physiological therapeutic modalities. International Osteopathic Association (IOA) sets requirements for entry to the manual osteopathy profession, registers manual osteopaths, & sets standards of practice and guidelines for manual osteopathy professional practice to be applied globally.