Chronic Pain Management: Is Osteopathic Manipulation Effective for Chronic Pain?

Chronic Pain Management: Is Osteopathic Manipulation Effective for Chronic Pain?

More than 50 million Americans struggle with chronic pain, and it seems there is a similar amount of therapies designed to address chronic pain. These therapies range from medication-based and science-backed, to the totally bizarre and unproven. Osteopathic Manipulation, however, does not fall into this latter category. In fact, Osteopathic Manipulation is backed by several studies that support its use in chronic pain management.

How Does Osteopathic Manipulation Work for Chronic Pain?

Osteopathic Manipulation is exactly what it sounds like it’s the physical manipulation of the body’s skeletal system and muscle tissue. Simply stated, Osteopathic Manipulation leverages the practices of stretching, gentle pressure, and resistance with the goal of chronic pain management. It is widely accepted that, when proper movement patterns are restored, the human body is able to self-heal, leading to a reduction in chronic pain.

Who Could Osteopathic Manipulation Work For?

In general, those suffering from the highest levels of chronic pain experienced the most relief through Osteopathic Manipulation. One particular study shows that patients with a baseline disability score of 17 out of 24 experienced significant benefits from Osteopathic Manipulation, while those with a score of 7 experienced a less dramatic improvement in their symptoms. Osteopathic Manipulation works especially well for patients struggling with lower back pain.

Can Osteopathic Manipulation Reduce the Need for Opiate Painkillers?

In the past, pain management has been highly dependent on the use of opioid painkillers. However, the worsening opiate crisis triggered a widespread need for non-addictive treatments for chronic pain. Osteopathic Manipulation is one of the more effective, holistic pain management solutions to emerge from this need. 

However, there are alternative pain management solutions that rely on safe and non-addictive medications, such as ketamine. For chronic pain patients, ketamine can relieve or reduce symptoms for up to 6-months at a time. Ketamine is administered in a clinical setting by an experienced medical professional, reducing the potential for this drug to be abused.

If you are experiencing random numbness in your fingers, toes, or other extremities, you may suffer from peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system, the giant network of nerves that send signals to and from the brain and spinal cord. It’s reported that 20 million Americans have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that an additional 10 million Americans have this condition, but are undiagnosed.

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can be easily confused with the symptoms of other pain disorders—such as fibromyalgia or Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)—hence the high rate of misdiagnosis. In addition to random numbness, the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

• • Numbness in fingers, toes, or other extremities.
  • Weakness in the feet, or other extremities
  • Burning, stabbing, or shooting pain in the extremities
  • Loss of balance or coordination

The symptoms range from incredibly painful to very mild. Those with severe symptoms may find it challenging to lead a rich and fulfilling life, especially since traditional pain medications are often ineffective for nerve pain.

Treatments for peripheral neuropathy include, first and foremost, treating the underlying cause. Diabetes I and II are both leading causes of peripheral neuropathy since the blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can cause nerve damage. Alcoholism can also trigger the onset of numbness in fingers and toes, as can physical injury or trauma. Finally, random numbness can be a side effect of certain medications.

If addressing the root cause of your peripheral neuropathy is ineffective, a neuropathic pain agent may offer some relief. The International Anesthesia Research Society also reports that ketamine therapy is an effective treatment for the pain associated with peripheral neuropathy.

If you are suffering from peripheral neuropathy and have not yet found an effective treatment for your symptoms, please contact us using the brief form below. Tahoe Ketamine offers ketamine for chronic pain conditions, including CRPS, phantom limb pain, diabetic nerve pain, and peripheral neuropathy. Find out if you are a candidate for ketamine therapy today!

Contact Tahoe Ketamine

If you are struggling with chronic pain—and nothing you’ve tried has seemed to work—please contact Tahoe Ketamine. We have helped countless chronic pain patients reclaim their lives, and we can help you, too. Contact us using the brief form below to learn more, and determine whether you are a candidate.