A lot of people come to see us with joint pain. Either people become worried about long term joint issues or the pain starts to get in the way of everyday life.

So how do Osteopaths help you and get you out of pain?!

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is commonly used to address the many causes of musculoskeletal pain. Commonly this includes neck pain, lower back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain and much more.

One fundamental aspect to the art and science of osteopathy is that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself. We use the word “art” because we have to piece together a lot of clues which the body gives us and then as we understand what is going on, we can get to work.

As osteopaths, we use a wide range of manual techniques to promote blood flow through the tissues improving their health, enhancing the body’s ability to heal.

OMT also aims to increase the joints’ range of motion and consequentially the patient’s wellbeing and capability to perform and enjoy their day to day activities without pain.

The techniques usually involve releasing the joints by what is known as articulation (moving the joint passively in its range of motion to improve it’s mobility), manipulation (using a controlled thrust to move the joint beyond the range of motion often producing an audible “click”) and by using soft tissue techniques to release the tight muscles that are commonly found in the areas of pain.

Our body is designed to move. It is an incredibly sophisticated machine that as with any machine, the more it’s taken care of, the better and longer it will last. These days, many of us have seen our daily activity levels fall and this has led to progressive increases in stiffness, immobility and at the end, pain.

Long hours sitting at the desk and working at the computer have a dramatic effect on our lower back and neck for example. Heavy manual labour, if not controlled properly can also has a devastating impact on our knees, lower back and shoulders. The list is not exhaustive.

Whenever you are experiencing pain, it’s very common to feel tightness and a variety of symptoms including (but not limited to) burning sensations, sudden sharp pain, pins and needles and stiffness.

The area of the body that is affected will usually be restricted in movement. This restriction can build up over time because of a disuse of the area to avoid pain or due to inactivity for example.

Freeing up the movement in the joints affected by pain stimulates a renewal of fluids in and around the joints that diminishes the level of inflammation and pain and promotes repair. Working with the tight muscles around the painful area also further contributes to achieving better mobility and better blood flow to the area, bringing oxygen and nutrients and flushing out the waste products.

In osteopathy the patient’s role is very important. The osteopath will listen to you, and will explain to you what is going on in a way that you can understand so that you can learn how to restore your health not just in the treatment room.

Osteopathic manual treatment is not just applied to the painful area of the body but also to the neighbouring regions of the body that will either be influenced by the painful area or have a direct influence on the pain.

Furthermore, exercises will be given and tailored to you to enable you to continue improving and getting stronger during the course of your treatments and after you leave the clinic.

If you have pain, our Osteopaths are here to help you. We pride ourselves on making you feel better by the time you leave the clinic and resolving your problem with a clear treatment plan.

Author: Guglielmo (‘Will’) Loleo, Osteopath
Spinex Disc Clinic