Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is an alternative medicine that uses hands-on techniques to help relieve pain and treat injuries and other illnesses. OMT can treat various conditions, including back pain, headaches, arthritis, and other health conditions affecting your musculoskeletal system. OMT techniques can also work as an overall rehabilitation plan for people recovering from surgery or injury-related disabilities such as head trauma. If you want to improve your overall health without needing medications, consult a doctor of osteopathic medicine Cary, NC, to determine which approach is best for you. Learn more about the most common effective techniques used in osteopathic manipulation treatment.
- Myofascial Release Technique (MFRT)
Myofascial Release Technique (MFRT) is a gentle, non-invasive osteopathic manipulation technique that uses the deep tissue pressure of hands to unblock and relax tight muscles. It can help ease pain in the back, neck, shoulders, and upper arms.
Your practitioner applies steady but light pressure with thumbs to one side of an area at a time. They then use the rest of their fingers to apply light or moderate force on the opposite side of your muscle.
- Muscle Energy Technique (MET)
Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a type of osteopathic manipulative treatment that treats muscle imbalances and joint dysfunction, improving a joint range of motion. This technique can also be used with other types of manual therapy, such as trigger point therapy or myofascial release.
Muscle energy techniques may help relieve chronic pain associated with arthritis or other conditions such as low back pain, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, and headaches/migraines. They can also reduce inflammation while increasing blood flow through the body.
- Postural Integration Therapy (PIT)
Postural Integration Therapy (PIT) is a gentle, hands-on approach that improves posture and movement. It helps restore balance and alignment of your musculoskeletal system and improves muscle strength and endurance.
A typical session involves using hands-on manipulation tools such as massage balls or soft pads to target specific areas of the body involved with the movement. To get effective results from this osteopathic technique, attend your sessions twice daily for at least four weeks.
- Strain Counterstrain Technique
Strain counterstrain is an extremely gentle osteopathic manipulative treatment that helps treat muscle and joint pain. It involves passively moving the part of your body with dysfunctional joints and spasmed muscles to a position of comfort.
Your practitioner then uses their hands to compress and relax the affected muscles, reducing muscle tone to normal levels. The Strain Counterstrain technique allows your muscles to function properly, increasing the range of motion. This technique can effectively treat TMJ, sports injuries, vehicle accidents, and fibromyalgia.
- Cranial Osteopathy Technique
Cranial osteopathy is another manipulation technique that gently applies pressure on areas of the cranial nerves, such as the head and spine. This technique can help release pressure on the musculoskeletal tissues of your skull and head, improving various health issues such as cerebral palsy, cancer, and asthma.
However, this technique should be avoided by people with head injuries and young children with unfused skulls. A doctor should also perform it with standardized training in osteopathic medicine.
The techniques of osteopathic manipulative treatment are a great tool for relieving pain and improving overall health. They can help treat various health conditions affecting your daily life. They also restore good function and mobility by loosening tight muscles that are causing problems for your health.
If you are looking for a way to treat injuries, pain, or illnesses with no side effects or complications, consider osteopathic manipulation treatments. Also, remember to ask your doctor what to expect during and after treatment.