Osteopathy manipulative treatment (OMT) also known as osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) is a noninvasive hands-on approach to diagnose, treat, and prevent injury and illness. OMT can be effective in treating structural and tissue abnormalities, relieving joint restrictions and misalignment, restore muscle and tissue balance, and promote the movement of bodily fluids. Back pain is the most common ailment treated but many other conditions such as sinus congestion and headaches to rib dysfunctions, constipation, and ankle pains may benefit from OMT.
A Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) is a fully-trained, licensed physician who completed 4 years of medical school and three or more years of residency similar to allopathic physicians (MD’s). She also spends many hours learning the techniques of OMT during her training. A DO learns everything an MD does but has 3 guiding principles that distinguishes her practice:
1. The body is an integrated unit of mind, body, and spirit.
2. The body possesses self-regulative mechanisms, having the inherent capacity to defend, repair and remodel itself.
3. Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
The goal of the DO is to assist the body’s natural ability to heal itself with all of the accepted medical treatments including OMT. Manipulation has been found to improve pain, prevent the use of medications, and even prevented surgical interventions. That said OMT may not always be appropriate for a condition.
If you have a condition and think OMT may help, please contact us.