In most cases, patients feel a definite change at the onset of treatments, many of them expressing a feeling of “improvement” or “lightness”. That said, the longer a patient waits to seek help, the longer the treatments will last before he or she feels the expected benefits. A patient’s commitment to follow recommended treatments, whether it be in terms of exercise, diet, or lifestyle, will contribute to the determination of long-term results and benefits.
A number of factors may influence the duration of treatments. Among them: the patient’s age, the duration and severity of the discomfort for which he or she seeks relief, and the patient’s capacity to respect the proposed schedule of treatments. Be that as it may, all patients receive advice on lifestyle, diet, and on the ergonomic modifications they must integrate into their environment. They are also given an exercise program adapted to their capabilities.
The role of pain-killing drugs
Although pain-killing drugs may reduce pain, they do not treat its underlying causes. In other words, they merely mask the symptoms. In that context, one must see pain as a signal that alerts the body to the fact that something is wrong. Knowing that pain killers may cause side effects helps to understand why osteopathy is a much safer approach to treating pain and illness in general. What is more, a patient who does not identify the source of his or her pain may suffer premature deterioration. That is why osteopathy deals with the underlying causes of pain in order to foster better health.
