Osteopathy for Chronic Pain

In a recent article in  Chatelaine, an assistant editor tested out osteopathy for her joint pain. Like many first time patients of osteopaths (also known as DOs or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine) she was surprised by just how much information could be determined by observation and touch alone. The final verdict: not only was the physician able to aleve some of her discomfort, but she was also able to tell her about her digestive and respiratory problems after one session of hands-on therapy.
So what is osteopathy exactly?
In short, an osteopath is trained to treat the whole person instead of the symptoms or disease. The intricacy of all of the body’s systems (musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive, or nervous system) are considered when trying to determine the source of imbalance causing sickness or discomfort. The overall idea is to restore function so the body can find its way toward healing itself naturally.
What sets osteopaths apart is their holistic approach, the osteopathic medicine structure influences function, and osteopaths are trained to touch and observe the body to determine the state of tissues, muscles, fluids, and bones.
There have been several studies which demonstrate that osteopathy is particularly effective in treating chronic pain. The holistic approach of an osteopath takes into account the patient’s full life situation (for example; stress, mental health, living conditions) and uses a combination of treatments to restore balance and function to all systems. As pain is a complex experience, many patients benefit from the the comprehensive approach of osteopathic techniques.
While Allevio Pain Management offers Osteopathy services as part of its integrated care model, Allevio always suggests patients find a provider that they are comfortable with, who can communicate and collaborate with their existing team for care, and of course who is a member in good standing with their local college or governing body.