Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
Experience a hands-on therapy that treats the whole person, rather than symptoms while improving your body's natural function, relieving pain and improving mobility. At the Marcus Institute, we utilize Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) to address the structural limitations that are often the underlying cause of discomfort, enabling you to return to a life of wellness and activity.
If you're struggling with pain, stiffness or limited mobility and are seeking a holistic path to healing, our patient-centered approach can help.
What Is Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)?
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) — or, as it’s sometimes called, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) — is a non-invasive, hands-on approach to treating pain, discomfort, and limited range of motion caused by illness or injury. By applying gentle pressure and movement, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) can diagnose, prevent, and address dysfunction in your musculoskeletal system to improve your overall health and well-being.
OMT is guided by the principles of Osteopathic Medicine:
Core Principles of Osteopathic Medicine
- The Body is a Unit: The person is viewed as a whole, integrating body, mind, and spirit. This principle emphasizes that all aspects of a person are interconnected and should be considered in treatment.
- Self-Regulation and Self-Healing: The body has an inherent ability to regulate itself and heal from within. Osteopathic medicine promotes this natural tendency toward health and wellness, focusing on enhancing the body's self-healing capabilities.
- Structure and Function are Interrelated: There is a reciprocal relationship between the body's structure and its function. This principle suggests that any alteration in the body's structure can affect its function and vice versa, which is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
- Rational Treatment: Effective treatment is based on an understanding of the principles of body unity, self-regulation, and the interrelationship of structure and function. Osteopathic physicians (DOs) utilize these principles to guide their clinical decision-making and treatment strategies
Our OMT techniques are gentle; they help restore motion, relieve pain, and support your body’s natural ability to heal itself. Many people leave their first visit feeling better, but many patients require more than one treatment for best results.
Conditions Addressed by OMT
OMT can provide relief for a wide range of conditions. Many of our patients seek treatment for:
- Acute and chronic back pain, neck pain, and other joint pain
- Headaches and migraines
- TMJ and jaw pain
- Sciatica and low back pain
- After motor-vehicle accidents, when other treatments haven't helped
- Post-operative stiffness and range-of-motion limits
- Fibromyalgia and myofascial pain
- Off-balance and leg-length discrepancies
Our Approach to Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy
Osteopathic medicine is built on a patient-centered, holistic approach to the connections between mind, body, and overall wellness. The body has a natural capacity for self-healing, and our role is to facilitate that process by removing barriers to health. By addressing the relationship between your body's structure and its overall function, OMT aims to enhance your health rather than just manage symptoms.
Comprehensive Initial Assessment
Your journey begins with a thorough assessment, during which our osteopathic physician takes the time to understand your complete health history, lifestyle, and specific concerns. We listen carefully to identify the underlying causes of your pain and dysfunction.
Tailored Treatment Plans
Because no two patients are alike, your medical care plan is customized specifically for you. We design a hands-on treatment strategy that addresses your unique needs, integrating OMT with your broader healthcare plan and complementing other activities, such as yoga, Tai Chi, acupuncture, physical therapy and other integrative modalities.
Advanced OMT Techniques
Our skilled physicians use a variety of gentle, hands-on techniques to restore balance to your body. These do not involve rapid movements intended to force motion through a joint. Instead, we use methods that feel comfortable and relaxing, including:
- Myofascial Release: This technique involves applying sustained, gentle pressure to the connective tissue (fascia) to alleviate pain and restore normal motion.
- Counterstrain (tender-point release): We identify a tender point and position the surrounding tissues into a comfortable position so the tenderpoint can relax without pain.
- Muscle Energy: You’ll gently contract specific muscles against a counterforce provided by your physician to improve mobilization and lengthen tight muscles.
- Craniosacral Therapy: A gentle approach to the skull, spine, and surrounding tissues, designed to ease restrictions and promote relaxation in the body’s connective tissue network.
Advantages of Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment
Reduction of Pain and Discomfort
Many patients experience immediate relief from pain and tightness in their muscles. OMT addresses the structural imbalances that contribute to musculoskeletal pain, providing a path to increased functionality and reduced pain focus.
Enhanced Natural Healing
OMT supports your body's inherent capacity for self-healing. By improving the function of your musculoskeletal system, nervous system, and lymphatic system, this therapy helps create the optimal environment for your body to repair and recover.
Improved Mobility and Function
By releasing restrictions in your soft tissues and joints, OMT helps restore your range of motion. This can make daily activities easier and more comfortable, whether you're recovering from surgery, a sports injury, or chronic stiffness.
Holistic Well-Being
Our approach goes beyond treating symptoms. We focus on you as a whole person, taking into account the connection between body, mind, and spirit. The goal is to improve your overall wellness and quality of life.
Who Can Benefit from Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment?
OMT is a safe, low-risk option for people of all ages. You may be an ideal candidate if you:
- Suffer from back pain, neck pain, headaches, or other joint pain.
- Have exhausted other treatments without finding lasting relief.
- Are looking for a non-pharmacological approach to pain management.
- Need help improving your range of motion after surgery or an injury.
- Want a healthcare partner who focuses on holistic, patient-centered wellness.
For acute sports injuries (sprains, strains, suspected tears) or problems that likely require procedures, we’ll help you connect with an orthopedic specialist.
Why Choose Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy at the Marcus Institute?
Our integrative healthcare approach ensures you receive comprehensive and well-coordinated patient care. Our highly qualified osteopathic physician is (We only have one) dedicated to a patient-centered care philosophy, spending the time necessary to address your concerns and help you achieve optimal health. Unlike some chiropractors or other practitioners, our goal is not to have you come in constantly; it's to empower your body to heal, allowing you to live a more functional life.
Take the first step toward lasting relief and improved well-being. Discover how our personalized, hands-on approach to Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy can help you feel better and live more fully.
Meet Joanna Drowos, D.O., M.P.H., M.B.A., FACOFP
Dr. Joanna Drowos holds board certifications in Preventive Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine Family Medicine, and Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy. She is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she also completed a fellowship in Osteopathic Principles and Practices. She’s passionate about clinical preventive medicine and augments her practice with Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy, which has a variety of applications for health and wellness.
Dr. Drowos is available for Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy consults only.