What is osteopathic manipulative therapy?
Osteopathic manipulative therapy is a hands-on treatment that involves gently moving your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal illnesses. How your doctor at Osteopathic Medical Associates of Nevada performs your therapy depends on your symptoms.
Osteopathic doctors believe that many ailments, such as musculoskeletal pain, digestive disorders, and sleep problems stem from imbalances in the body. Nerve compression, tense muscles, and inflammation are just a few ailments that respond well to manipulative techniques, such as stretching and massage.
What can osteopathic manipulative therapy treat?
Osteopathic manipulative therapy can treat a wide range of conditions, including:
Neck and back pain
Pressure on the bones and soft tissues that make up your spine can help diagnose the cause of back and neck pain while restoring balance to the structure.
Headaches
Applying gentle pressure to the soft tissues around the skull can help relieve chronic tension headaches and migraines.
Digestive disorders
Stretching and applying soft pressure to your muscles and joints can help stimulate healthy digestion to alleviate constipation and diarrhea.
Breathing difficulties
Dysfunction in the head and cervical spine (neck) may contribute to uncomfortable asthma and sinus symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and congestion. Applying soft pressure to the skull and cervical spine may help relieve these symptoms.
Chronic pain
Chronic pain from disorders such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus cause widespread inflammation that hands-on manipulation can help treat.
Am I a candidate for osteopathic manipulative therapy?
If you have chronic pain, a respiratory illness, or digestive issues, you may be a candidate for osteopathic manipulative therapy. This technique can supplement your personalized medical care plan to improve your overall health without medication or surgery. However, you should avoid osteopathic manipulative therapy if you:
- Are pregnant
- Have osteoporosis
- Have bone cancer
- Have damaged joints
During your initial visit, your doctor at Osteopathic Medical Associates of Nevada reviews your medical history and performs a physical exam to identify factors that may interfere with your candidacy for osteopathic manipulative therapy.
To learn more about osteopathic manipulative therapy, call Osteopathic Medical Associates of Nevada, or schedule an appointment online today.
