Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) is a hands-on technique which involves moving and manipulating a person’s muscles and joints to help diagnose, prevent, and treat certain conditions.

According to physiotherapist Vincent Rwamamara, OMT can be a treatment option for chronic pain as it is a common treatment for lower back pain as well.

He explains that these techniques involve moving the person’s limbs in different positions, adding that an expert might as well be forced to apply pressure to limbs and manipulate the person’s body to stretch muscles and properly align their joints.

"This kind of treatment, he says, can be direct, indirect or combined methods, whereby as an expert, we can use slow movements and continuous pressure, or simply use quick, sudden movements,” he says.

Rwamamara goes on to note that this is a pain-free kind of treatment that is normally ideal for chronic pain relating to many different causes. 

Also, OMT can help reduce pain levels, improve functional status, and decrease medication use for people with chronic pain conditions.

Celestine Karangwa, a physiotherapist at TCM Technology Clinic in Remera, says people with lower back pain or neck pain are most likely to need this kind of treatment.

However, he notes that other people receive OMT for a wide and varied range of medical conditions.

Karangwa says pregnant women can also benefit from this therapy, noting that this can be used to help individuals deal with pelvic and lower back pain, both during and after their pregnancy which is common.

"During pregnancy, OMT may help treat certain associated issues, including pelvic girdle pain and lower back pain,” he says.

Jean Bosco Kanimba, a Kigali-based physiotherapist, says OMT can also be a good option for people suffering from headaches and migraines.

This, he says, can be the best option for people with headaches who either do not wish to use medication or have reactions to certain medications.

Kanimba says that studies also indicate that OMT may be a viable treatment option to help people with migraine.

In addition to this, OMT may also be an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome and, in combination the medication for fibromyalgia.

What you should know

Before a person receives this kind of treatment, Karangwa says an expert is expected to assess the patient’s specific needs, ask about their symptoms, lifestyle, medical history, and other health issues.

Also, as an expert, he says it’s their obligation to use this information to help deliver the treatment approach.

"Carrying out a physical examination of the person, pressing and feeling different parts of their body to try to work out the cause of the symptoms is also essential,” he says.

This, Karangwa says, is known as integrative medicine, as it’s an approach to healing that involves considering a patient as a whole, rather than simply looking at their symptoms. 

For instance, he mentions that when a treatment plan is suggested for a patient, it means the expert has to look at the patient’s lifestyle, medical history, goals, and the illness or condition into account.

OMT, Kanimba says, involves moving, stretching, and manipulating a person’s muscles and joints, which can help them diagnose, prevent, and treat certain conditions.

It helps decrease chronic pain symptoms and reduces the use of medication in general.

"This form of treatment also helps improve one’s health and well-being, helping them function better and easing the symptoms of lower back pain,” he says.

The most important thing when it comes to OMT, Kanimba says, is that it helps relieve joint pain and joint stiffness, making the use of certain pain medications unnecessary.

Karangwa says it can also provide relief for many conditions. Although it treats the musculoskeletal system, it can be used to address issues that are not directly related to the muscles, bones, or nerves.

Also, he notes, OMT is safe when other treatments aren’t, noting that certain patients are limited in their treatment options.

For example, Karangwa says, women in the third trimester of pregnancy have very few safe options for pain relief. However, OMT is safe even for that group.