Arthritis Pain Relief

by Okinawa Soba

Alternative Treatment for Neck Pain; Osteopathy

Osteopathic Treatment of Neck Pain
by Andrew Mitchell

Instead of looking at each symptom of an illness separately, osteopathic medicine is a kind of medicine that looks at your entire body to figure out the best method of treatment.  Osteopathic medicine has become quite popular, especially for people who have problems with muscle and joint pain.  A lot of people insist that when you suffer from neck pain, an osteopath is one of your best resources.  It is understandable, however, that if you haven’t ever visited an osteopath, that doing so might feel scary.  Don’t worry-you have nothing to be scared of.  Here is what you can expect to experience when you visit an osteopath for neck pain treatment:

The first part of your visit will be an exam that feels more like a visit to a “traditional” doctor.  You’ll most likely give your complete medical history and also receive a physical examination. In many cases, your osteopath might order extra tests to help narrow down exactly why your neck is in pain.  You might have an X-Ray taken to see if there is any physical damage to the vertebrae in your neck, but don’t be surprised if your osteopath pays attention to other parts of your body as well! 

It is important to know that your appointment will involve a lot of physical contact between you and your osteopath.  Osteopathic treatment is very “hands on.”

Your Osteopath might use any of the following methods to treat your neck pain:

Counterstrain technique:  this technique involves moving you into a position that will help your body restore motion to any of your muscles that might have been strained or restrained.

Muscle Energy technique:  In this technique, your osteopath will prescribe specific exercises.  These exercises will start you in specific poses and move your muscles in specific ways.

Soft Tissue technique:  this technique involves your osteopath putting pressure on the muscles that are near and around your spine.  Sometimes the pressure is deep, other times it involves traction or rhythmic stretching.

Thrust technique:  Your osteopath will use a high velocity force to reintroduce movement to your joints and muscles.  Thrust is used to correct any asymmetry in your muscles. This method should also take care of any restricted movements, tissue changes or muscle tenderness you might have been experiencing.  

Your osteopath might also use a low level laser or acupuncture techniques to help treat your neck pain.

This might sound very scary but don’t worry-most people don’t experience any pain when they visit their osteopath for neck pain treatment.  In fact, most people who visit osteopaths find their treatments to be relaxing and pleasant!

A number of people often confuse osteopaths with chiropractors, but it is important to understand that the two professionals, while seemingly similar, are actually quite

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Question by THEFOX: Has anybody have traveling arthritis? Treatment that worked for you if any?
For a few months, it will be your legs then go away and then awhile later it will be in your shoulders, so and so forth all over and disappear for long periods.

Best answer:

Answer by cyanne2ak
Actually, a regular physical exercise routine helps a lot. So do daily Glucosamine supplements. However, traveling pain is also a sign of depression. Talk to your doctor about this.

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Question by rahrahrahi: Rheumatoid Arthritis and other autoimmune disorder patients…?
If I may ask without seeming nosey-
What were the symptoms leading to your diagnosis?
How long did your diagnosis take?
How have you been treated (what meds/therapies) and what has worked best?

I am being tested for a number of things but my own experience and background leads me to suspect RA will be the ultimate diagnosis. The doctors I have seen also seem to be leaning that way.
Chronic, almost unbearable fatigue, weakness, intense joint pain in almost every joint, it’s worst in my extremities especially feet and ankles-several times recently I have had an ankle just ‘give’ while walking – three times now that has been while carrying a baby down my stairs and once while in a store, again while carrying my little one, which is frightening not to mention a bit embarrassing. I went for a walk the other day and suddenly felt as if my foot were broken, like if I took one more step weight-bearing on that foot the bone would just snap. I limped home and put heat on it, and rested it for the evening and overnight, and by morning it was back to it’s regular state of ‘just’ sore. I’m pretty young and in pretty good shape- actually *very* good shape when having two children within two years is factored in; I have been fairly athletic in the past, and all of this is a bit out of the blue- it seemed to start gradually during my last pregnancy and I thought it was from carrynig extra weight of baby and fluid, but it’s been almost three months since the new little guy was born and it is only getting worse even though the weight and fluid are long gone. I went to the Dr. hoping to be told it was normal considering I have two very young children in addition to school-age kids but also knowing it was not the normal fatigue of mommy-life. I have to get up at least an hour before anyone else and take medication before my kids are up in order to just be mobile enough to make them breakfast and get the day going. The pain tends to get better as the day goes on but as the day goes on the fatigue gets worse, so it’s a bit of a nasty cycle going here. Sound anything like what you’ve experienced? What has helped?

Wow I don’t want that to sound like I’m whining; I’m not neccesarily complaining, just curious.
Okay guys, I’m starting to think this is a ‘Jewish thing’, LOL!

Best answer:

Answer by Ghiselle D
Does it run in your family? Maybe not the entire fatigue thing nor exactly what you have, but does someone have arthritis in their hands? Even fibramyalgia is considered an autoimmune disorder. All those grumpy grandmas that we though were lying about their “hair hurting” we now realize that they probably had fibramyalgia.
What about diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder or disease (in a family member) late in life? My mom was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 52 yo. That’s a sure sign that the body is “attacking” iteself, a sign of having an autoimmune disorder.

As for me, autoimmune disorders run in my family. My sister was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of 12 after an injury playing basketball. The fact that you used to be quite athletic doesn’t always play in your favor IF your family has a history of autoimmune disorders. After my stroke in 2004, doctors finally put 2 and 2 together and did some DNA testing because it was obvious that autoimmune disorders run in my family. You don’t need genetic testing, but look to your family and ask about any health problems, you might be surprised.

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