Chronic pain is something that affects so many people around the world and it has a big impact on quality of life. Conventional medical treatments tend to focus on managing symptoms most of the time with invasive procedures and medications but there are alternative therapies as well such as osteopathy. Osteopathy is a holistic approach to health and it helps to address underlying causes of pain.
Chronic pain will persist for weeks, months and years.
This is far beyond the typical duration for healing an illness or injury. This is not like acute pain which gives a warning signal of damage to body tissues. It is considered a condition in its own right. You will have persistent discomfort because of this. Some of the chronic pain conditions are arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, low back pain etc. A multidimensional approach is required to address chronic pain. Also, there are emotional and physical aspects of the condition. When you visit the Aspendale Gardens osteopath, they will take a holistic approach to assessing and treating chronic pain conditions. They will consider pain as a result of an imbalance in your body structure and function. A comprehensive assessment of your posture, musculoskeletal system, biomechanics and mobility will be carried out by the osteopath at the consultation. They will also consider your stress levels, lifestyle, diet and emotional wellbeing. This approach gives them unique insight into the root causes of your pain so that they can address them instead of just sticking to treating the symptoms.
A big part of treating chronic pain will be the use of hands-on manual therapy techniques.
These techniques are used to restore balance and body function. Some of the manipulation techniques used are joint mobilisation, spinal manipulation and tissue massage. They help in alleviating tension and promoting healing and mobility. Osteopaths will manipulate the musculoskeletal system gently so that they can realign joints, release tight muscles, reduce pain and improve circulation. This will help improve your overall function. Many chronic pain conditions stem from underlying structural imbalances in the body. This can be misalignment of the limbs, pelvis or spine. These imbalances will put strain on the joints, muscles and ligaments causing pain and dysfunction. Osteopathy is able to provide long lasting relief as it will address the root causes of pain instead of just focusing on the symptoms.
Movement and posture can also affect the development of chronic pain conditions.
When you carry out repetitive movements, maintain poor posture and have biomechanical imbalances, there is excessive strain placed on your body. This will lead to joint dysfunction, pain and muscle tension. Osteopathic treatment will target improving movement patterns and posture through corrective exercises, hands-on manipulation and improving posture. This is achieved using ergonomic education, corrective exercise and hands-on manipulation. The underlying biomechanical issues will be addressed by osteopathy so that the patients are able to move more efficiently with less pain. This will reduce the risk of future injuries as well. This also takes into account the emotional and psychological experience of chronic pain.
