What is a manipulation or adjustment?
Manipulations and adjustments are “hands on” treatments that use pressure, gently applied force and resistance to help readjust and realign components of the musculoskeletal system. This helps to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries affecting the bones, joints, muscles, nerves, connective tissues and organs.
How are osteopathic manipulations performed?
Manipulations involve a series of gentle stretches, exercises and palpations of the bones, joints, connective tissues and other components of the body. These are done in an effort to identify areas of soreness, inflammation, signs of swelling, and to gauge joint and organ size (and positioning). Manipulations can assess your physical characteristics to determine the cause of symptoms or diagnose diseases or medical conditions. Passive and active exercises can also help evaluate joints and connective tissues to determine the cause of issues affecting range of motion, flexibility or strength. Since manipulations involve direct contact with your body rather than a simple visual examination, they can provide important information about your health and wellness that can be used to guide treatment that's customized for your needs.
What conditions can manipulations and adjustments be used to treat?
Osteopathic adjustments and manipulations can be used to diagnose, evaluate and treat an array of medical conditions, including:
- Arthritis in the neck, back or elsewhere in the body
- Neck, shoulder and back pain
- Knee and elbow pain, including tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
- Carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndromes
- Scoliosis
- Fibromyalgia and chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Some types of chronic headaches
Osteopathic manipulations can also be used following certain surgeries to help speed recovery and reduce discomfort. In some cases, manipulations can also be used to guide physical therapy and other techniques that can help patients manage pain and other symptoms without the need for more aggressive treatments like surgery or long-term use of pain medications.
