What Do You Know About Osteopathic Manipulation?

If you experience chronic pain, whether it’s in your back or somewhere else on your body, you have a few options for dealing with it. You can take medication, go see a general practice physician for treatment, and some even turn to massage for persistent muscle issues. You might not have considered osteopathic manipulation in the past, mostly because you’ve never heard of it! This technique allows patients to achieve the relief they need in an effective, gentle, and holistic way, and to learn a little more about how it works, keep reading!

What Exactly is Osteopathic Manipulation?

Osteopathic manipulation, also known as osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), is a hands-on treatment method used to help people dealing with mechanical pain, or problems that involve muscles, tendons, or bones due to a structural imbalance. It involves the doctor literally placing their hands on the patient and applying light pressure to stimulate the soft tissues and joints in ways that encourage the body to heal itself at an accelerated rate. It can also help find the root cause of pain so it can be addressed directly.

What Makes Osteopathic Manipulation Special?

Given what you just read, you might be thinking, “Oh, that sounds like massage,” or “My chiropractor does that!” While OMT, massage therapy, and chiropractic care do overlap in some respects, they are quite different when you look a little closer.

Firstly, OMT can only be provided by a DO, or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. In order to become one, a person must graduate from an accredited medical school and complete the same residency and licensure processes as MDs. Massage therapists and chiropractors don’t have to do this, so while they can be helpful, their medical and anatomic knowledge is comparatively limited.

Plus, OMT can be used by the doctor as part of an overall care plan, which can include the hands-on treatment in addition to things like medication and changes to diet and exercise routines. OMT can also help with mental health, sleep habits, and stress, which are beyond the scope of your typical massage therapist or chiropractor.

Could You Benefit from Osteopathic Manipulation?

If you experience frequent muscle or joint pain, and you want to fix it without having to constantly take medication or resort to surgery, then osteopathic manipulation may be the perfect treatment for you.

Of course, the best way to find out is to simply consult with a licensed DO. The benefits of this approach is that even if OMT isn’t for you, they can potentially help you in other ways, like with non-surgical orthopedics or regenerative medicine. You certainly won’t find these options at your local spa!

About the Author

Dr. Joel Stein, DO, decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a healthcare provider, and today, he has been helping people feel better and solving problems that other doctors can’t for almost 40 years. In addition to osteopathic manipulation, he and the team at the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics can offer a wide range of effective, proven treatments that are gentle on the body. To learn more about OMT or schedule an appointment at one of our four Florida locations, click here.