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Osteopaths prevent pain by focusing on the body’s musculoskeletal system and its role in overall health and function. Osteopaths use a holistic approach, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the body’s systems to promote balance, mobility, and self-healing.
Our 4 principles of Osteopathy underline our treatment approach:
The body is a unit
Structure and function are reciprocally related
The body has self healing and self regulating mechanisms
Treatment is based on the above 3 principles.
So with this in mind, here's how Osteopathy helps prevent pain:
1. Addressing Structural Imbalances
Osteopaths identify and correct muscle imbalances and joint restrictions that can lead to pain.
Techniques such as gentle manipulation, stretching, and soft tissue techniques can restore proper alignment and improve function.
This ties into the 2nd principle of Osteopathy, if the structure of an injury is affected, then the function of that area is affected. For example, if the neck is restricted, then the function of turning your head, or using your arms is affected, and then vice versa, if your arm isn't moving so well, then the neck can get jammed up as a consequence. Osteopathy aims to help more than the presenting complaint in front of us, to help reduce the recurrence of pain.
2. Improving Mobility and Flexibility
Restricted movement in joints and tissues can increase strain on certain parts of the body, leading to pain.
Osteopathic treatment enhances mobility, reducing tension and preventing compensatory movements that cause discomfort.
This leads into the first two principles - like above, structure and function are interrelated, as is “The body is a unit” - everything works together.
3. Enhancing Circulation and Lymphatic Flow
Techniques to improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage promote the delivery of nutrients and removal of waste products.
This helps reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain, while supporting tissue repair and recovery.
Osteopathy treatment helps to flush out our chemical byproducts of inflammation, whilst encouraging oxygen to the injured area. With chronic pain conditions, usually there can be a lack of oxygen to the tissues, so it takes a longer time to heal. Increasing the blood supply helps to alleviate pain and discomfort.
This aligns with our 3rd principle that the body has self healing mechanisms. Our body wants to be out of pain, so it will do what it can to naturally fix itself. We come in when the response needs a bit more help, and lifestyle reasons are hindering your improvement. We will teach you as to why you are experiencing your pain, and what you can do to help improve it.
4. Encouraging Muscle Balance and Strength
Osteopaths identify weak or overused muscles and help balance their function.
Proper muscle engagement reduces the likelihood of strains and injuries that can lead to chronic pain.
A good example of this is with our bottom muscles (gluteals) and our abdominals. Due to our sitting culture, our hips can be tighter, and our deep abdominals need to work a bit harder. We like to use the analogy, you don't need a 6 pack to do your shoes and socks, but we need strong supporting muscles to do the daily tasks, so that the lower back doesn't have to grab and hold on so hard when you are in pain. Some muscles are overworked and underloved!
5. Promoting Nervous System Function
The nervous system regulates pain signals, and osteopathy can help calm overactive nerves caused by tension or structural imbalances.
This leads to a reduction in pain sensitivity and better overall body function.
Another good example of this is when you hurt yourself and it's really quite strong intense pain. It's sensible for our brain to react this way to help “first aid” our injury, but after some time, this is inappropriate levels of brain response, which can lead to chronic pain instead if the pain levels are still strong 3 months later. Our brain can bring on a lot of anxiety about an injury, and can make us sensitive and fearful of movement. Our osteopaths will help teach you not only about your injury, but about your nervous system and what you can do to help yourself to empower you to help decrease your pain with your injury.
6. Preventing Compensatory Injuries
When one part of the body is injured or misaligned, other areas often compensate, leading to additional strain and pain.
Osteopathy treats the root cause, preventing the domino effect of compensatory injuries.
This aligns with our principles that the body is a unit - everything works together. For example - if you hurt your foot and you are resting your leg, sometimes that can throw us and injure our backs by putting pressure on the other side, leaning into chairs differently, or using crutches. We want to help you appropriately address your injury, so that another injury does not occur when you are trying to fix the first thing!
7. Educating on Posture and Lifestyle
Osteopaths provide advice on maintaining good posture, ergonomic adjustments, and exercise routines.
These proactive measures reduce daily stresses on the body and prevent pain from recurring.
How we spend the other 23 hours of the day is really important. As a practitioner, understanding how your day to day life is spent, we can help you adjust things at home or at the workplace, or different techniques for lifting kids.
8. Encouraging Self-Healing Mechanisms
By improving alignment, circulation, and mobility, osteopathy enhances the body’s natural ability to heal and maintain itself.
This reduces the likelihood of developing chronic pain conditions over time.
This is one of our tenets of Osteopathy, and probably the most important one to remember. Your body wants to help itself. We sometimes need a bit more help!
By addressing both the symptoms and the underlying causes of dysfunction, osteopathy takes a preventive approach to pain management, helping individuals maintain long-term health and well-being.
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