Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Doctors who are trained in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMT) are able to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury through particular hands-on treatment methods which focus on muscles and joints in the patient’s body. DOs (osteopathic physicians) use stretching, gentle pressure, and resistance to the musculoskeletal system in such a way that medical conditions in one muscle or joint are able to be treated through manipulations throughout the body.
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is a great complement (or replacement) to traditional medical techniques, including drug therapy and surgery. In Parker, Colorado, the osteopathic physicians at Rocky Vista Health Center have the training and knowledge necessary to provide you with the relief you need from pain and discomfort. We use the most advanced techniques and advanced technology to ensure that we are able to provide you with comprehensive and exceptional medical care at our one-stop medical destination.
What is Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) the “Manipulation” of?
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine takes a holistic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of medical issues throughout the body. The “manipulation” aspect of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is a therapeutic application of careful, manual pressure or force on an affected area of the body. If you are experiencing issues with a certain organ, an osteopathic physician may examine you for structural problems in the spinal column since those problems can radiate outward and cause dysfunction in your organs.
Because Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine focuses on the musculoskeletal system, you can expect that your visit to our Parker, Colorado, osteopathic physicians will include manipulation of bones and joints in your body which may be the root cause of illness or injury. Different procedural techniques will be utilized depending on your particular level of pain and discomfort as well as the location of the issue.
How Does Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Work?
Once a complete medical history and physical examination, which may include x-rays and other diagnostic tests, are complete, our osteopathic physicians will be able to diagnose your condition and begin to develop a customized, individual treatment plan. In general, osteopathic physicians use several Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine techniques in order to treat their patients. These include:
- Soft tissue technique - applies pressure to muscle around the spine; consists of rhythmic stretching, deep pressure, and traction
- Muscle energy technique - patient uses muscles in a precise position and in a specific direction against a physician-applied counterforce
- Thrust technique - in order to restore motion to a joint or reduce/eliminate the signs of tissue change, asymmetry, restricted movement, and tenderness, high-velocity force is used; can be called the “cracking” technique
- Counterstrain technique - When a patient has an acute injury, this technique can be useful as it moves the patient away from a motion restricted position to one of comfort
When these and other techniques are performed by a trained osteopathic physician such as ours at Rocky Vista Health Center, patients will be able to feel relief from their pain and discomfort.
Who Can Benefit From Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment?
Because of the way osteopathic physicians are trained to manipulate their patients’ bodies, almost anyone can benefit from Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. From infants to geriatric patients and everyone in between, OMT can be used to diagnose and treat a wide variety of medical conditions including low back pain, neck pain, sports injuries, repetitive stress injuries, and some types of headaches. It is important, though, that the techniques are performed by a trained and experienced osteopathic physician.
Patients with certain conditions, however, are not recommended to seek out Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. These issues include bone cancer, bone or joint infection, osteoporosis, and spinal fusion. The manipulative techniques utilized in OMT can actually do more harm than good for these specific types of conditions, so it is best to seek out alternative therapies. Other patients, though, are most certainly welcome to take advantage of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.
How Is Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Different from Chiropractic Care?
Due to the fact that both Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and chiropractic care specialize in the manipulation of bones and joints in order to treat certain conditions, many people are unsure of the differences between the two types of therapy. OMT uses hands-on techniques to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal irregularities which may lead to disease. A major difference between doctors of chiropractic and osteopathic physicians is in the focus of the movements they perform. Chiropractors rely on techniques to manipulate the spine, but osteopathic physicians use various techniques for overall manipulation.
Another difference is that osteopathic physicians spend much more time with their patients and are able to provide relief within three visits or so. Chiropractors take less time per visit and require more visits in order to gain pain relief.
Finally, in addition to x-rays (used primarily by chiropractors as a lone diagnosis method), osteopathic physicians use other diagnostic methods which minimize exposure to radiation and provide a more complete picture of your overall health.
Osteopathic Medicine Can Treat Many Health Problems
One of the best and most important aspects of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is the fact that it can be used in the treatment of a variety of other health problems. An osteopathic physician can be used on their own or in conjunction with other, more traditional medical treatments. Some of the other conditions that OMT can be used to treat include:
- Ear and Sinus Disorders
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Headaches and Migraines
- Menstrual Pain
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Low Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Knee Problems
- Sports Injuries
- Relieve Repetitive Stress Injuries
- Relieve joint Restriction and Misalignment
- Restore Muscle and Tissue Balance
- Promote the Overall Movement of Blood Flow Throughout the Body
*If you are suffering from one of these or some other medical condition, our osteopathic physicians at Rocky Vista Health Center may be able to help you through Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. We are here to help you find the pain and stress relief you need so you can return to a more healthy and happy life.
Who Can Benefit From Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment?
At Rocky Vista Health Center, we are your one-stop destination for caring for most of your medical and healthcare needs. We offer a wide range of services, including internal medicine, primary care, osteopathic manipulative medicine, podiatry, and telemedicine. Our primary care physicians in Parker, Colorado, are proud to help ensure that you are able to regain the happiness in your life through excellent physical, mental, and spiritual health. We want to get to know you and understand your health goals and how we can help you achieve those goals.
The physicians at Rocky Vista Health Center operate a state-of-the-art medical facility and are the first point of contact for you in your quest for continued health maintenance. We are dedicated to providing all of our Parker, Colorado, patients with the best possible medical care regardless of their current or ongoing medical conditions. Whether you are fighting a new, ongoing, or chronic illness or have sustained an injury, we are here to provide you exceptional medical care.
We have the most advanced diagnostic technology so you can trust that your diagnosis will be accurate and your treatment is the best one possible for your situation. Contact us today to learn more about our thorough one-on-one care and to schedule an appointment.
What is Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine?
It is a dynamic field that integrates knowledge from such areas as sports medicine, general medicine, orthopedics, rehabilitation, exercise physiology, and nutrition to improve the overall health and function of the individual. Osteopathic physicians (DOs) specializing in Neuromusculoskeletal medicine are trained to integrate osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) into the treatment plan to improve the motion and function of the entire individual. We basically use an integrative approach to help you “reach your peak” for optimum health, function, and performance.
Neuromusculoskeletal medicine isn’t just for athletes. Its principles apply to all ages, including children, adults, and geriatric patients.
How can individuals benefit from osteopathic manipulative medicine?
Neuromusculoskeletal medicine looks at the body as a dynamic unit of function with structures and functions that are interrelated at all levels. Optimum health and performance require the integrated function of all of the various parts. A problem in one area, organ, or system will produce both local and global effects.
For example, a simple ankle sprain can result in the transference of abnormal biomechanical forces to your knee and/or low back so that those areas are also compromised and predisposed to problems. Injuries and associated pain can also produce biochemical abnormalities that may negatively impact hormone function and alter neurotransmitters (brain chemicals).
To put it simply, the entire body is connected together and can be affected by multiple biomechanical, bioenergetics, and biochemical factors. Osteopathic manipulative medicine helps to optimize overall function and addresses the entire individual as a dynamic, synchronized, and integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians (DOs) don’t just treat bones. We look beyond just the musculoskeletal system to include the visceral, craniosacral, and bioenergetics systems.
Kenneth A. Ramey, DO, FACOFP serves as the Program Director of our Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Ramey is a member of the medical staff at Sky Ridge Medical Center and has served as a team physician at both the high school, college, and semi-professional levels.
He is a member of the OPP Department at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine and integrates sports medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine, and preventative medicine. Dr. Ramey is board certified in family medicine, neuromusculoskeletal mediosteopathic manipulative medicine, and has a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine.
We use osteopathic manipulative medicine to improve motion and function throughout the entire individual in an effort to optimize health and potential.
Our neuromusculoskeletal medicine services include:
- Neuromusculoskeletal evaluation and management including osteopathic structural examination.
- Osteopathic manipulative medicine, including, but not limited to, general osteopathic technique, high velocity/low amplitude technique, muscle energy technique, myofascial release, visceral manipulation, Dr. Fulford’s techniques, and Osteopathy in the Cranial Field.
- Therapeutic exercise prescription
- Trigger point and joint injections