Chronic Stress & Anxiety

Articulation

Osteopaths use articulation to promote better movement in a restricted joint. When a joint is unable to move through its natural range of motion, it can cause the linked muscle to tighten resulting in discomfort. Feelings of anxiety and stress can lead to constrained movement in your shoulders and exacerbate tightness in the upper back.

Soft Tissue Technique

This form of massage concentrates on the muscles around the spine. The osteopath applies both deep pressure and rhythmic stretching to the soft tissue, to release fluid build-up and relax the muscle layers. It’s an effective treatment for relieving anxiety-related headaches and stiffness.

Thrust Technique

This technique is a series of short, high-velocity thrusts to a joint with the aim of improving range of movement and encouraging better blood flow.

Breathing

One of the best ways to encourage calm and reduce anxiety is to practise deep breathing. Your osteopath will have some tricks up his/her sleeve to help you in this regard and will encourage you to practice breathing exercise regularly at home. Breathing exercises are effective in lowering your heart rate and blood pressure, and act to reduce the feelings of anxiety. You can do them anywhere, at any time.

Everyone experiences anxiety in one form or another, at some stage in their life. It’s a completely normal response to situations that are perhaps uncomfortable or out of the ordinary. While anxiety is a common condition, there’s a lot more to it than just sweaty palms, and leaving it unmanaged can have debilitating effects on your wellbeing. If anxiety is negatively affecting your life, consider consulting an osteopath for effective ways to treat and manage your anxiety.