When it comes to treating pain, particularly chronic and recurring pain, most people are looking for more effective treatment options than simply popping pain medications. While medications can help when nothing else seems to, an osteopath is an ideal doctor to turn to when you are looking for a wide range of pain-relieving options that fall outside the realm of drugs. An osteopath looks at everything from your environment and diet to your habits and lifestyle to determine healthy ways to better control your pain.
Alleviate Your Pain Naturally
While pain medications can certainly help with minor aches and pains, they shouldn’t be your go-to option or the only way to alleviate pain. Here are some helpful tips for people dealing with either acute or chronic pain.
Stay Hydrated
Did you know that 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated? Drinking enough water every day is important for your health, as it can stave off muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue. It can also help the skin stay healthy and improve bowel function. Drinking more water may actually reduce pain and also help you have more energy. It’s a simple tip that can go a long way to improving your health.
Improve Your Posture
We are more sedentary than ever before. Blame it on desk jobs, but most people don’t even realize that their posture is incorrect until they start to deal with muscle aches, back problems, and headaches. It’s important that you don’t slump over your desk or computer while working. An osteopath can also improve spinal alignment through manipulation therapy and through specific ergonomic recommendations to ensure that your workday isn’t causing you pain.
Stay Active
Again, sitting at a desk for hours on end is not the way our bodies are supposed to function. We are meant to move around and not stay stationary for long periods. Get yourself to take a break every hour. Get up, move around and stretch. Go for a walk around the room and get the blood flowing. It’s also important that you are getting in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day. Regular activity can improve current aches and pains and prevent new ones from developing.
What is Osteopathic Treatment?
An osteopath is a medical professional that provides a whole-body approach to medical care, offering non-invasive and drug-free treatment options to help the body function optimally as a whole. An osteopath focuses on how the muscles, spine, and joints move and function and how musculoskeletal dysfunction can impact the lymphatic, nervous, and circulatory systems. If you are looking for an alternative therapy to manage pain, osteopathic medicine could be ideal for you.
An osteopath can provide relief for a variety of health problems including,
- Whiplash
- Neck and back pain
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
- Arthritis
- Pregnancy-related pains
- Sports and work injuries
- Diabetes
- Neuropathy
If you are dealing with pain that isn’t getting better with home care, an osteopath can provide you with effective strategies that are tailored to your lifestyle and health.