Instead of looking at each symptom of an illness separately, osteopathic medicine is a kind of medicine that looks at your entire body to figure out the best method of treatment. Osteopathic medicine has become quite popular, especially for people who have problems with muscle and joint pain. A lot of people insist that when you suffer from neck pain, an osteopath is one of your best resources. It is understandable, however, that if you haven‚t ever visited an osteopath, that doing so might feel scary. Don‚t worry-you have nothing to be scared of. Here is what you can expect to experience when you visit an osteopath for neck pain treatment:
At first, you‚ll probably feel like you are visiting a “regular” doctor. You‚ll be given a physical and asked for your complete medical history. After that, your osteopath will perform a few additional tests to help determine the exact cause of your neck pain. He or she might take an X-Ray to find out if you have damaged any of your vertebrae. Don‚t be surprised if your osteopath then gives the rest of your body a complete examination as well!
It is important to know that when you visit an osteopath for help with your neck pain, you should leave your “personal space” at home. Osteopathic treatment is hands on!
The osteopath you visit can use any or all of the following methods to treat your neck pain:
Counterstrain technique: this is where you are moved into a position that helps to restore the motion to any muscles that might have been restrained/strained.
Muscle Energy technique: your osteopath will give you specific exercises in which you will use your muscles from a specific position and move them in specific directions.
Soft Tissue technique: Pressure is applied to the muscles around your spine by your osteopath. This technique might involve deep pressure, traction or rhythmic stretching.
Thrust technique: Your osteopath will use a high velocity force to reintroduce movement to your joints and muscles. Thrust is used to correct any asymmetry in your muscles. This method should also take care of any restricted movements, tissue changes or muscle tenderness you might have been experiencing.
If your osteopath deems it necessary, your neck pain might be treated with a low level laser or even acupuncture!
This all probably sounds frightening, but you shouldn‚t worry. Very few people experience pain when they seek help from an osteopath for their neck pain. Most people who choose to employ an osteopath say that the treatments are quite pleasant and relaxing!
Some people confuse osteopaths and chiropractors and while the two professionals seem similar, they are very different. Chiropractors treat your joints and spine. Osteopaths, on the other hand, work to treat your entire body.
The content of this page is informed by feedback from clinics in Middlesex and also osteopathic practitioners in Leeds. Further input was received from practices in Sheffield and osteopaths in the Fulham area. Finally a contribution was made by a practitioner in Oxford.