What is Myotherapy?
It is with a heavy heart that I can openly say that the majority of people who walk through the door at Bergamo Chiropractic and Nutrition Centre do not know about myotherapy, or what it is. So this week we are going to tackle the question, what is myotherapy and how it can help you.
Myotherapy can best be defined as the assessment, treatment & management of musculoskeletal conditions. To make sense of this, when you see a myotherapist, they will assess your condition to find out what is causing you pain, provide treatment in the form of manual therapy to correct the problem, and then manage you back to 100% health.
What condition can a myotherapist help you with? Anything that is musculoskeletal in nature- that is, anything which may arise from the muscles or bones of the body.
A myotherapist undergoes extensive training, undertaking a university or college degree where they learn about human anatomy (the body’s structures) as well as physiology (how the body functions) in order to find the source of your problem. This allows the practitioner to then correct the problem to give you long term results, rather than just treating your symptoms for short lived relief.
One question that we often get asked is “what is the difference between massage and myotherapy?”. The answer is quite simple: Massage is just one tool that a myotherapist uses to treat problem. A myotherapist will also use dry needling, joint mobilisation, stretching, behaviour and lifestyle modifications, and exercise prescription and rehabilitation to enhance the patient’s health and restore function.
One treatment technique which sets myotherapy apart from massage is the use of dry needling. We under take extensive theoretical and practical training to master the modality of dry needling. It is an invasive (yet relatively pain free) procedure where fine filament needles are inserted into the skin to penetrate the soft tissues of the body, mainly muscle, ligament and tendon. The aim is to stimulate the nervous system in order to decrease your pain, whilst also increasing blood flow to the area.
Much of the manual therapy used by a myotherapist is aimed at deactivating myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), which are commonly referred to as knots. These points often form as a result from muscle injury ore repetitive strain and lead to muscle tightness and can cause pain. This is also how dry needling differs from acupuncture. Dry needles are aimed at MTrPs which the practitioner finds with their hands, whereas an acupuncturist may aim their needles at predetermined points where they attempt to unblock “life energy” (or Qi) flow.
Call us at 9887 4144 to ask our team about how myotherapy can help you!