Living with chronic pain can have dramatic effects on your body, mind, and spirit. Treatment of chronic pain can be challenging. To find a method of pain control that works can be difficult. Osteopathic manipulative therapy for chronic pain offers a new approach.
Osteopathic manipulative therapy, or OMT, is a hands-on approach to the management of chronic pain. The goals of OMT are to:
- Restore function of the dysfunctional body structures
- Promote the body’s natural healing mechanisms to reduce pain
There are many benefits of OMT as it relates to chronic pain, including:
- Less reliance on addictive or harmful medications to control pain
- Safe treatment with less side effects than medication therapy
- More emphasis on improvement in function of the painful body part
OMT uses several techniques for the management of chronic pain, including:
- High velocity/low amplitude thrust–using rapid force for brief periods to release restriction of muscles, tendons, ligaments, or joints
- Muscle energy–using the patient’s muscles against a counterforce to release myofascial tissues
- Direct myofascial release–engaging the myofascial tissue with force to initiate release of tissue restriction
- Indirect myofascial release–engaging dysfunctional tissues until they are free of restriction
Your osteopathic medicine doctor may recommend additional treatments to help achieve better function with less pain. Additional treatments and therapies include:
- Chiropractic services, to help increase range-of-motion and flexibility
- Physical therapy, to help increase strength and mobility
- Lifestyle modification including proper posture, body alignment, and movement
- Electrical stimulation, to help relax tense muscles and relieve pain
- Interventional injections, to help reduce swelling, boost healing, and reduce stiffness
- Therapeutic massage, to relax tense muscles and help lengthen tight ligaments and tendons
- Therapeutic ultrasound, to improve circulation and boost your body’s natural ability to heal itself
Osteopathic manipulative therapy can help ease your chronic pain. To find out more about the benefits of osteopathic manipulative therapy and other osteopathic treatments for chronic pain, call your osteopathic doctor today.