Skip to main content
Tag

Structure

Osteopathic Considerations: What Pain Is Telling You

By Osteopathic Techniques, Osteopathy, Physical Health2 Comments

Tips For Osteopathic Physicians: Understanding how to interpret the information the body communicates can be the difference between helping a patient get pain relief or leaving them in pain. In this day and age, pain is poorly understood and pain management can be dangerous. Currently, prescription related deaths are higher than cocaine or heroine combined. To understand pain, we have to change the way we think about pain and how we approach it as practitioners. Perhaps we need to look at the bigger picture instead and consider the “forest instead of the trees.” In order to progress, we may need…

Read More

Why Popping Necks, Backs And Joints Is Not Effective In Permanently Resolving Pain Or Stiffness

By Osteopathy, Physical HealthOne Comment

Do you ever “pop” or “crack” your back by twisting? Does this ever truly resolve or keep you from needing to do this again? If the answer is “no,” then why would it be any different to have someone else do that to your spine? This article discusses what is missing when only this thrusting type of treatment is given and why I do not feel it is effective in giving permanent relief of pain and stiffness most of the time. People often describe osteopathic physicians as “chiropractors who can prescribe medications.” Although not accurate, part of this perception is…

Read More

What My Mentor Taught Me About Osteopathy

By Osteopathy, Physical Health2 Comments

Always question, always challenge “Do you see how this patient’s tibias are bowed out?” asked the doctor.“Yes,” I replied as I ran my fingers along the patient’s shin bones. I was not really sure of what it was I should be appreciating that was significant. Next, the doctor moved one of his hands along the patient’s leg with a light touch as if he was looking for something. Suddenly his hand stopped along the outer thigh. I was not really sure what exactly we were doing. We waited a moment, and then he said, “Ok, now re-check the tibias.”  Just…

Read More

Why Pain Is Not Caused By Weak Muscles And Why Exercising May Not Work

By Health, Osteopathy, Physical Health3 Comments

Have you ever been told your pain is because one group of muscles have been over exercised? Many of my patients are told this. Therefore they are told that the solution for their pain is that they need to exercise the “weak” muscles to balance out the muscles. Many patients I see go to physical therapists and trainers believing that there will be a “magical” exercise that once they do will rid them of all pain. According to this theory once this balance is restored, then one’s pain should disappear. Although this occasionally works and I do believe exercising is…

Read More

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine And Women’s Health

By Medicine, Osteopathy, Physical Health2 Comments

One of my favorite stories about what Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) can do is the story of a mother of three who had been dealing with urinary frequency problems. This had been an issue for about 10 years and her life revolved around this problem. Headed on a downward spiral, she was unable to get a good night’s rest and was afraid to drive long distances or even go to the movies. Her life revolved around this problem and her frustration mounted as she had been to every specialist and tried every medication her doctor could think of without any…

Read More