Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment

What is osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT)?

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a hands-on treatment method. OMT is sometimes called osteopathic manipulative therapy or osteopathic manipulation.

Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) use OMT to treat mechanical pain (muscle, tendon or bone pain due to structural imbalance) and a wide range of health conditions. DOs also utilize Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) to diagnose and prevent disease, as well as to enhance the body's overall functioning.

Using several OMT techniques, DOs apply gentle pressure to manipulate the muscles, soft tissues, and joints. The treatment encourages your body to heal itself by ensuring that your bones and muscles are aligned and balanced properly.

How long does treatment last?

The timeframe for experiencing results varies depending on the dysfunction. For instance, if your sacrum is misaligned postpartum, you may notice immediate same-day improvements. However, if you've been experiencing back pain for several years, significant results may take several treatments. Typically, I recommend seeing most patients weekly or every other week for a month initially, then spacing out treatments as you progress and teaching you how to maintain your results.

What are trigger point injections?

Trigger points are highly sensitive areas within muscles that worsen when pressure is applied. To address this, I inject lidocaine directly into the painful muscle tissue. Additionally, I utilize needling to break up the fascia and promote healing by stimulating the immune system. This procedure typically lasts 5-10 minutes, with many patients experiencing pain relief within 2 minutes after.