Are you in pain? Are you looking for a natural way to relieve pain and improve your mobility? Seeing an osteopath may be exactly what you need. These health professionals provide you with a holistic approach to healing your body and improving your health. Below, we take a closer look at how you can benefit from osteopathic treatment.

We also provide a list of who we believe are the top 5 best osteopaths in the Seattle area, and how you can choose a doctor to meet your needs and requirements.

What is an Osteopathic Doctor and How Can They Help You?

An osteopath is a healthcare professional who uses a holistic approach to diagnose, treat, and prevent musculoskeletal problems. These healthcare professionals focus on conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, i.e., the bones, joints, and muscles. These professionals are fully licensed and undergo training equivalent to that of a medical doctor.

However, they place a greater emphasis on the body’s musculoskeletal system and a holistic approach.

The distinct approach taken by osteopaths helps patients in several ways.

• Whole-person philosophy – osteopathy views the body as an interconnected unit of mind, body, and spirit. Rather than simply treating symptoms, e.g., pain, these healthcare professionals consider other factors contributing to your overall health condition, including posture, lifestyle, stress, diet, and environment.
• Manual therapy – these professionals are trained on the application of hands-on techniques that involve manipulating muscles, joints, and connective tissues. They can help you improve your mobility and experience pain relief. They will help support your body’s natural healing process and thus reduce the need for the use of mainstream medication.
• Prevention and wellness focus – beyond treating illness, this branch of medicine places a great emphasis on preventive care, developing health habits, and long-term wellness. You will be guided in making lifestyle changes that will improve your health and prevent illness.

How We Selected the Best Osteopaths in Seattle

Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best osteopath care providers in Seattle. We considered various factors in compiling this list, including:

• The practice history, including patient reviews
• The offerings of the practice, e.g., sports medicine and services for the entire family
• Accessibility

Top 5 Best Osteopaths in Seattle

1. 360 Osteopathy

Location:464 12th Ave, Suite 203, Seattle

Offering: Cranial osteopathy, StemWave Acoustic wave treatments, newborn latching, and manual treatments.

2. Alchemy Health and Wellness

Location: 4035 Factoria Square Mall, SE, Bellevue

Offering: Manual therapy, custom products, general care, pet care

3. Vida Integrated Health Ravenna

Location: 4915 25th Ave NE, Ste 104, Seattle, WA

Offering: Chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, shockwave therapy, and Emsella

4. Rachel Erickson, ND, Lac

Location: 1406 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122

Offerings: Homeopathy, botanical medicine, nutritional supplementation, diet therapy, Chinese herbal formulas, and naturopathic manipulation.

5. Dhirendra Kumar

Location: 15446 Bel Red Rd, Ste 450, Redmond, WA

Offering: Preventive health care, dermatology, chronic condition management, hormonal health, and wellness

How to Choose the Right Osteopath for Your Needs in Seattle

Below are some tips to help you choose the best osteopathic doctor for your needs:

• Reflect on the type of care you want – what is your goal for seeking osteopathic treatment? Are you looking for long-term primary care? Do you simply want to explore natural methods for managing pain? Do you have a sports injury that requires specialized care? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your options.
• Ask for referrals, read reviews, and consider feedback – ask for referrals from your doctor or your network of friends and family. Look up comments about how well the doctor listens, the level of care, and how they handle follow-up
• Confirm licensing and board certification – it is important to ensure that you seek care from a licensed and certified practitioner.

Osteopathic medicine offers a holistic approach to addressing musculoskeletal issues. Use the list and tips above to find the right healthcare provider for you.

 

If you’re suffering from chronic pain, you may find it hard to remember a time when your life was pain-free. You may have come to a point where you have accepted the pain as part of your day-to-day life.

If this is you, you will be glad to learn that technology now provides various options for managing and even completely eliminating pain. Below, we explore two noninvasive options to manage chronic pain. These are stemwave therapy and shockwave therapy.

We look at what these options have to offer and what to consider when determining which one would be best for you.

Shockwave Therapy

Also referred to as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), this type of treatment has been applied in the healthcare industry since the 1980s. It has been used successfully in the treatment of conditions that cause chronic pain, such as tendonitis and plantar fasciitis. It involves the application of high-energy acoustic waves to the affected part to stimulate the flow of blood to the area and, therefore, encourage healing. This form of therapy has been shown to reduce inflammation, boost the repair of cells, and speed up healing by causing micro-trauma.

Treatment sessions are short (15 to 30 minutes), and patients only experience mild discomfort. Discomfort is temporary, and minimal time is required for recovery.

Stemwave Treatment

This is a type of shock wave therapy that focuses on regenerative healing. It applies shock waves to damaged tissues to stimulate repair in a similar way as is observed in stem cell therapy.

The sound waves stimulate the flow of blood to the area where there are damaged tissues. This therapy helps to accelerate the natural healing process and thus reduces pain.

Stemwave Therapy vs Shockwave Therapy

So, which is it going to be? Stemwave vs shockwave therapy? The truth is, both of these therapies apply similar principles to stimulate cell repair and healing of damaged tissues. They have both been shown to be effective in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions as well as in dealing with chronic pain. They are both effective noninvasive alternatives to the use of medication or surgery for the treatment of chronic conditions.

If you find yourself having to choose between the two treatment options, you might want to think about things like how well the specific condition you are dealing with has been treated in the past. Shockwave therapy has a long and proven track record of success in the treatment of chronic conditions and the management of pain.

Another consideration is what you hope to achieve with the treatment. If you’re looking for regenerative healing aside from pain management, you should consider stemwave therapy. The newer technology offers greater potential in this area than its traditional counterpart.

However, the best way to determine the best option for treatment of your condition is by consulting with your doctor or an osteopath who specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. They will diagnose your condition more accurately and determine what treatment would be best suited for you.

Explore Treatment of Chronic Pain with 360 Osteopathy

If you’re suffering from chronic pain and are looking for a non-invasive way to manage or treat your condition, don’t hesitate to contact us, 360 Osteopathy.

Consult with a qualified and experienced osteopath and discover the root cause of your pain. Explore different options to promote natural healing, restore function, improve mobility, and increase your quality of life. We offer a wide range of services to meet the varying needs of our patients.

Contact us now to schedule your consultation or to simply find out more about what we can do for you.

While there’s no physical wound to see and treat, the pain that migraines cause is just as real. They can even cause debilitating pain that interferes with your day to day activities.

While modern medications can both treat and prevent the pain, they don’t offer a long term solution. Many medications also have serious side effects. If you’re looking for long term migraine relief, it is worth considering combining medication with lifestyle changes.

Below, we take a look at some tips for relief.

• Take a break

When you begin to feel a migraine coming on, do your best to stop and take a break. Turn off lights and loud sounds as these can intensify the pain. Anything that can help you to relax such as a cup of tea, a warm bath, or even a light massage. Acetaminophen works on the pain receptors and can help with pain.

• Get enough sleep

Migraines are often triggered by lack of sleep. They can also interfere with your sleep. You can experience migraine relief by ensuring you get enough rest. Establish regular sleep hours. Go to bed at roughly the same time every day. Take some time to unwind at the end of the day and reduce distractions during bed time.

• Osteopathic manipulation therapy

Osteopathy can be beneficial for managing migraines. This treatment focuses on reducing muscle tension, restoring proper alignment and balance in the body as well as improving blood circulation.

Cranial osteopathy in particular is used to release tension and promote relaxation. It applies hands-on techniques to the head and spine to promote relaxation and ease tension. It is a useful approach for relieving migraine headaches caused by tension and stress.

Cranial osteopathy can also help with other types of migraines as it can help improve the function of the Vagus nerve. This nerve plays a key role in pain modulation.

• Change your eating habits

Your habits around food play a significant role in the intensity and frequency of migraines. Be sure to eat at the same time every day. This consistency will help you avoid headaches related to hunger.

Avoid skipping meals as this increases your risk of suffering a migraine. You should also pay attention to what you eat. Certain foods have been shown to increase the risk of migraines such as caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and aged cheese. Caffeine causes vasoconstriction and some migraines are caused by vasodilation.

Keep a food diary and find out what foods trigger your migraines.

• Move

Physical activity helps your body release chemicals that help to reduce depression and anxiety. Both depression and anxiety contribute towards making migraines worse. Exercise also helps with weight management. Obesity has been shown to increase the risk of chronic headaches.

• Manage your stress levels

Headaches are often caused by stress and tension. Learning to manage stress can therefore help to relieve the pain. There are various ways to do this including simplifying your life, taking a break when you’re tired or overwhelmed, managing your time and taking on a positive outlook on life.

You should also consider engaging in migraine self-care activities such as pursuing a hobby, hanging out with friends or even taking a walk.

Schedule Consultation with a Trusted Osteopathic Doctor

Do you suffer from migraines? Are you looking for a holistic approach to managing or completely eliminating your pain? Get in touch with us, 360 Osteopathy and schedule consultation with an osteopath. Discover the root cause of your migraines and explore how our manual treatments can help your body heal itself. Call us now and start your journey to healing.

While figures may vary, it’s generally accepted that over 80 percent of the population in America will experience back pain at some point in their lives. If you’re reading this, you’re probably already experiencing back pain and understand just how debilitating it can be.

Lower back pain can be the result of a wide variety of issues including health conditions such as osteoarthritis, sitting for extended periods, poor posture or an injury. Treatments for pain also vary.

Below, we explore how seeing an osteopath for back pain can benefit you.

What is Osteopathy and Can It Be Used to Treat Bottom Back Pain?

Osteopathy is a branch of medicine that deals with diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system (i.e. the system that consists of the muscles and skeleton). This means that lower back pain is a condition that would fall into the domain of an osteopath.

However, unlike other branches of conventional medicine that focus on treating symptoms, osteopathy focuses on finding the root cause and restoring function for the whole body. This branch of medicine is based on the idea that the overall function of your musculoskeletal system has a big impact on your general health and wellbeing.

If you want to explore a treatment method that goes beyond the symptoms to treat the underlying cause of your back pain, you should consider seeing an osteopath for back pain. These healthcare professionals use manual therapy to manipulate and move joints and soft tissues to restore balance to your body. They apply a wide range of hands-on techniques to reduce pain as well as to prevent it from returning. The goal of these techniques is to release tension as well as to improve mobility.

What to Expect

If you’re interested in seeing a back pain osteopath, below are some things you can expect on your visit.

• Finding the problem

Osteopaths work towards identifying the root cause of the problem. At your first appointment, you can expect to answer questions about your health in general including any treatments that you may be on. You will also be subjected to a physical examination for your whole body. Your osteopath will use their hands to feel around your ligaments, joints and tissues.

• Treatment plan

When the healthcare professional has completed their examination and discussed your health and goals with you, they will determine the best treatment approach for your condition.

They will discuss their recommendations with you including the risks, benefits and costs. You should take the time to understand all that will be involved in the treatment prior to giving your consent.

Treatment Techniques

Osteopathy applies manual techniques to treat lower back pain in the spine. These techniques are aimed at increasing movement and relieving tension. They include:

• Soft tissue techniques where pressure is applied to the soft tissues in the lower back to reduce tension and relieve pain.
• Stretching to relieve stiffness
• Articulation to increase range of motion
• Manipulation where quicker thrusting is applied at specific points along the spine.
• After care

Soreness after an osteopathy treatment is normal. It can last for up to 2 days after treatment. Manual treatments are only a part of the treatment plan. It is important to follow all the recommendations of your healthcare professional for quicker recovery. This may include changes in diet and lifestyle.

Explore Osteopathy for Back Pain at 360 Osteopathy

Are you looking for a long term solution to back pain? Contact us at 360 Osteopathy to schedule an appointment for consultation with an experienced osteopath.

Learn about the benefits of our manual treatment services and how they can be applied to treat back pain. We’d be glad to help you along your journey to a pain-free life.

Do you experience jaw pain and stiffness? Does it affect your ability to swallow, chew, or talk? You may be experiencing the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

This disorder affects the TMJ, the joint where the lower jaw attaches to the rest of the skull. This joint and the muscles that surround it are responsible for jaw movements. They open and close their mouths while chewing and talking.

Below, we take a closer look at TMJ disorder and the treatment options available.

Causes

This disorder can be the result of various causes, including:

• Trauma to the jaw
• Chewing hard
• Habitual clenching or grinding of teeth
• Stress
• A poor bite (i.e. malocclusion syndrome)
• Anxiety
• Injuries resulting from accidents
• Poor body mechanics and posture
• Overuse of the jaw e.g. while chewing gum, exercising, or biting nails.

It’s worth noting that TMJ disorder often develops over time. The symptoms of the condition may, therefore, not be immediately recognizable.

Signs and Symptoms

This disorder manifests with various signs and symptoms. These often include:

• Shoulder pain
• Jaw pain, especially in the area directly in front of the ears. The pain is often only felt when opening or closing the mouth
• Jaw pain when chewing or yawning
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Headaches
• Ear aches or a feeling of fullness in the ears
• Popping or clicking sounds when opening or closing your mouth
• Jaw tenderness or pain, especially in the morning

Diagnosis

It is important to have your symptoms evaluated by a healthcare professional in order to have a definitive diagnosis. Diagnosis of this condition often involves a discussion of your symptoms and a study of your jaw.

You may also be required to undergo various diagnostic tests, including:

• Dental x-rays
• MRI
• CT scans

In some cases, TMJ arthroscopy may be used to diagnose the condition. This involves the insertion of a small, thin tube into the joint space. An arthroscope (a small camera) is inserted into the tube to observe the area and aid in diagnosis. This procedure can also be used to release scar tissue or remove inflamed tissue from the area. This can help the jaw move without pain.

TMJ Treatment Options

There are various options for the treatment of this disorder. These include:

Administration of medications

These include muscle relaxants, pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, and tricyclic antidepressants. These medications help to ease symptoms and manage the condition. However, they may have undesirable side effects.

Therapies

These therapies don’t involve the use of drugs or surgical intervention. They include:

• Physical therapy – TMJ physical therapy involves manual treatment for the disorder. It involves the application of manual manipulation and exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles surrounding the jaw. Treatments that may be applied include TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) and ultrasound.
  
• Mouth guards or oral splints – these are inserted over the teeth. They help ease pain and strain.
  
• Counseling – this can help with the psychological aspect and changing behaviors that may worsen the symptoms associated with the disorder.

Surgical procedures

Surgical treatment is often used as a last option. Surgical procedures include arthrocentesis, a minimally invasive procedure used to remove inflammatory products and debris, and modified condylotomy, surgery on the mandible that aims to ease locking and pain.

Visit 360 Osteopathy for Manual Treatment of TMJ Disorder

Are you seeking a natural and holistic approach to the treatment of your condition? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 360 Osteopathy. Schedule an appointment for manual treatment and experience the many benefits of allowing your body to heal itself. Contact us now to book your appointment with a TMJ specialist. We’d be happy to address your inquiries.