Manual Osteopathic Treatments and Approaches
Manual Osteopathic Therapy may be performed through any or all of the following techniques:
Visceral Manipulation
Manual osteopaths use visceral manipulation to treat organs and viscera of the body, including the liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, pancreas, intestines, bladder and uterus. Patients may be experiencing pain in one or more of these organs, or other parts of the body due to visceral dysfunction. Manual osteopaths gently move the structures themselves and the fascia (connective tissue) that surrounds them to restore motility. Most patients treated with visceral manipulation feel only the gentle pressure of the manual osteopath’s hand, but the corrections are powerful enough to improve the mobility of an organ, improve blood flow, and help the organ function more effectively. Results are often felt in other parts of the body.
Osteoarticular Techniques
Manual Osteopathic Therapists use these techniques to reduce muscle spasms near a joint, ease neurological irritations around a joint, make joints more mobile and to reduce acute or chronic pain and discomfort. Patients are put into a comfortable position that will minimize or eliminate the energy and force needed to perform the maneuvers, effecting a correction to the body’s structure where needed.
CranioSacral Therapy
This is a very gentle osteopathic technique, While performing cranial sacral techniques, the therapist’s hands are highly sensitive to the inherent mobility of the cranial bones and cranial membranes. Great precision is applied when utilizing cranial techniques. Manual osteopaths use this gentle technique to assess and treat the mobility of the skull and its contents. They may also use it to assess and treat the spine, the sacrum, and other parts of the body. The goal of this technique is to adjust the body’s physiology by restoring balance to the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid, blood and other body fluids. Manual osteopaths do this by treating the body’s inherent biorhythm, or the Primary Respiratory Mechanism. They are able to feel this rhythm in the patient’s head, spinal cord, and in the sacrum and the rest of the body. Manual osteopaths use the biorhythm to assess the patient’s condition, and modify it during treatment where required.
Advanced Myofascial Release
The therapist uses advanced fascia release in many different ways. In general, they use it to evaluate the condition of tissues, improve tissue glide, and to help the body’s fluids (such as blood and lymphatic fluid) flow smoothly. Keeping fluids flowing smoothly reduces harmful fluid retention and makes the body’s immune system more effective. Fascia is tissue found in all parts of the body. It connects all of the body’s structures at both superficial and deep levels. The therapist evaluates the fascia to find areas of restriction, and then uses soft tissue manipulation to release fascial adhesions and optimize fluid mechanics.
