Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a form of manual medicine, or hands-on treatment. Using various manipulation techniques, trained osteopathic physicians apply gentle pressure to encourage free motion of the soft tissues, fascia, muscles, and joints. The treatment corrects structural imbalances and thereby encourages your body’s innate healing mechanism to take over the healing process.
OMT can treat mechanical pain such as muscle, tendon or joint pain due to structural imbalance, but can also be used to treat a wide range of organ system problems, acknowledging the balance between structure and function.
Examples of problems that OMT can help:
- Breathing issues such as asthma or sinus problems
- Bowel issues like constipation or irritable bowel syndrome
- Chronic pan like migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis or menstrual cramps
- Pregnancy related problems like insomnia, edema, or sciatica
- Sports injuries
- Post-surgical lymphedema
What to expect during treatment
I will perform an osteopathic assessment to determine areas of somatic dysfunction, and proceed with a treatment for your problem areas, using a variety of gentle manual techniques. It is helpful to wear clothing that is stretchy and not too bulky for the treatment, such as workout gear. Treatment should never cause pain, although you may feel more achiness on the next day or two after treatment.
What to expect after the treatment
Everyone responds differently to OMT. Some people feel energized and some people feel tired. You should drink plenty of water and perform gentle stretches in the day after treatment, to encourage flushing of any inflammatory mediators that are released during your treatment. Avoid excessive or rigorous exercise in the first day or so after treatment to allow your body to settle in.
Are there risks to OMT?
The techniques I prefer are gentle and indirect therapies which pose minimal risk of adverse effects. Often there will be achiness in the day or two after treatment, which is a common side effect to releasing inflammatory mediators and tension. Drinking plenty of water after your treatment helps. Aside from the achy sensation, pain is not a typical side effect of OMT and you are advised to contact us following treatment if this occurs.
For more information or to schedule a visit with Dr. Koski, please contact our office.