HOW CAN OSTEOPATHY & KINESIOLOGY HELP WITH PAIN?…

Firstly, what is Osteopathy ? Osteopathy is an alternative medical technique that uses manipulation and massage to help distressed muscles and joints to help them work smoothly.

Treatment can improve many parts of the body by restoring normal movement in areas that have become dysfunctional. This can then allow the tissue to nourish, replenish and repair in a more natural way.

The treatment first began in 1892 when a Dr. Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917) an American farmer, inventor and doctor, opened the first school of osteopathic medicine in the USA.

He looked for alternatives to medical treatments in his day which he felt were ineffective as well as harmful.

His new philosophy of medicine was based on the teachings of Hippocrates. The therapy aims to pinpoint and treat any problems that are of a mechanical nature. Our body’s frame consists of the skeleton, muscles, joints and ligaments and all movements or activities such as running, swimming, eating, speaking and walking depend on it.

Osteopathy is a way of detecting, treating and preventing health problems by moving, stretching and massaging a person’s muscles and joints. It is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on their bones, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue functioning smoothly together.

When you first see an osteopath he or she will need to know the complete history of any problems you have , how they first occurred and what eases or aggravate matters so a diary kept over a week or more before your visit would be a great help. An award winning Website run by an Osteopath called The Bad Back Company can provide you with the very best help with back and joint pain and has a large online shop for all your needs.

Secondly, what is Kinesiology? Kinesiology is a treatment which concentrates on getting your muscles to function correctly. It is believed that each muscles is connected to a specific part of your body.

The word ‘Kinesiology‘ is derived from the Greek word ‘kinesis’, which means ‘motion’. It originated in 1964 and was developed by an American chiropractor called George Goodheart. He found that when he was treating patients for severe pain in the leg, that by massaging a particular muscle the pain seemed to ease. However this did not seem to work on all muscles.

An osteopath in the 1900’s a Dr. Chapman pointed out that there were certain ‘pressure points’ in the body which were connected to your muscles, and if these were massaged correctly the lymph would be able to flow freely throughout the body.

In the 1930’s it was also claimed that there were similar pressure points which were on the skull which, by putting a light pressure on them, the flow of blood to their related organs would be assisted.

A Kinesiologist will examine a patient and try to discover whether they are lacking in energy as well as any other problems which could relate to their symptoms. If they find blockages then they can treat the disorder by stimulating the flow of lymph and blood my massaging the pressure points.

Nowadays there are a number of therapies (acupuncture, osteopathy, myofascial release massage) that use pressure points to ease pain in the muscles.

After treatment by massage of the pressure points the patient would experience some tenderness for a couple of days as the toxins in the tissue dissipate gradually. However, there should be an overall feeling of an improvement in your health and in particular the areas that were treated.

So, which treatment is best for chronic pain? Well, when I search online it basically says that Kinesiology is a multi prong approach to pain management whereas an Osteopath generally treats acute conditions. Certainly over 30 years ago when my back first started going wrong I would regularly visit an Osteopath then as it became more chronic I visited a Chiropractor but I can honestly say that back then I had not even heard of Kinesiology.

Not Just Backs write that Research shows that manual therapy such as osteopathy can relieve pain, increase flexibility and improve quality of life for people with osteoarthritis. This is reflected in NHS guidelines which recommend manual therapy (stretching and manipulation), alongside exercise, weight loss and pain meds to manage symptoms.

Balance Wellness writes that Kinesiology uses the theory of muscle testing to discover the underlying causes contributing to health issues – be it physical, nutritional or emotional. The body clearly communicates to the practitioner what is needed. So, it’s not just a one off treatment but looks at nutritional recommendations, structural work, energy reflexes and emotional coaching to guide you back to your full health potential.

Personally, I think all alternative and complimentary therapies are worth a try to help with acute or chronic pain. What suits one might not suit another. What worked at first might stop working second time around but with some many alternative and complementary therapies available now, it has to be worth giving some a try.