When you think about preventing or treating hearing loss you probably don’t immediately think about turning to an osteopath but maybe you should. After all, some forms of hearing loss can be avoided if you incorporate healthy habits and promote a safe environment that nurtures your hearing. Many osteopathic physicians are beginning to see even mild hearing loss in kids and teens and a lot has to do with blasting music for hours on end through their headphones. By determining these habits, an osteopath can map out effective solutions that can keep you and your family maintaining healthy hearing.

• When listening to headphones the sound should be no louder than 60 percent of the maximum volume. Limit headphone use to one hour a day.
• If you decide to listen to your headphones for more than one hour, make sure to decrease the volume even further.
• If you absolutely have to blast the music (but why would you?), the maximum amount of time to listen is five minutes for the day.
• Instead of turning to earbuds, which may feel more comfortable, using larger headphones that sit over the ears are often better for your hearing.

Our body is made up of a variety of different interconnected systems; however, these systems all need to work together to function properly, so dealing with issues in one area of the body may likely originate from issues or disease in another area of the body. If you’re looking for a doctor that will provide you with a whole-person approach to treatment, then you will want to consider seeing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).

• Back and neck pain
• Joint pain
• Arthritis
• Headaches
• Tennis and golfer’s elbow
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Shoulder impingement
• Headaches and migraines
• Sports-related injuries
• Strains and sprains
• Pregnancy-related pains
• Foot, ankle, hip or knee pain
• Sciatica

Have you had a life event such as a death, job change, loss of a relationship or financial downturn? These circumstances and more, combined with hereditary factors and physiological problems, can lead to a psychiatric problem known as depression. This common mood disorder cannot be ignored but needs accurate evaluation from your doctor.. Your depression can be managed.

Who struggles with depression?

More people than you may realize struggle with the sadness and emptiness that is clinical depression. In fact, Medline Plus reports that about 19 million American teenagers and adults have depressive symptoms which continue, impacting work, school, relationships and more.

Why depression happens

Your team of osteopaths routinely screen their patients for depression. Most commonly, depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, specifically centered on a neurotransmitter called serotonin. Also called the happy chemical, serotonin greatly contributes to an individual's sense of well-being, purpose and confidence. In its absence, says the National Institute of Mental Health, numerous negative symptoms arise--some thought-related and emotional and others, physical in nature.

Symptoms of depression

They are many and vary widely from individual to individual. Women are more prone than men, and teens more than adults. Symptoms may include:

• Hopelessness

• Listlessness

• Feeling empty, sad and helpless

• Irritability and anger

• Poor concentration and memory

• Cognitive and somatic slowness

• Decision fatigue

• Perfectionism

• Negative thoughts

• Lack of libido

• Apathy

• Inability to start or complete tasks

• Suicidal thoughts

Treating depression

It's important to get treatment for clinical depression. The first step toward wellness is admitting something is wrong. Your internist wants to hear about your symptoms so he or she can formulate a treatment plan and/or refer for psychiatric evaluation or psychological therapy.

Medication seems most fundamental to treating depression. SSRI's (serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) are oral medications which boost critical neurotransmitters. Other medications may be needed to treat co-existing conditions such as anxiety.

In addition, talk therapies, either alone or in combination with medications, allow patients to express, or discover, their feelings and formulate strategies to manage them. These talk therapies may include cognitive, behavioral or interpersonal therapies.

Don't go it alone

Isolation worsens depression. Your doctor encourage you to reach out to them, a loved one, or trusted friend and to speak of your struggle. 

We will all feel sad or blue at some point, whether from the death of a family member or the loss of a job; however, these feelings are often temporary and will go away on their own; however, for someone with clinical depression, the symptoms of worthlessness, hopelessness and intense sadness do not go away. If these symptoms last more than two weeks and affect your life it’s time to see a psychologist or doctor.

The most common types of depression include:

• Major depression
• Persistent depression (also referred to as dysthymia)
• Bipolar depression (also referred to as manic depression)
• Depressive psychosis
• Perinatal depression/postpartum depression
• Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder

Even though clinical depression is a mental health disorder it is also linked to chronic health conditions. For example, those dealing with severe and chronic pain disorders like back pain, arthritis or fibromyalgia may also deal with depression due to their condition and how it impacts their quality of life. Whether your depression coincides with a chronic health problem or not, an osteopath may be able to help you feel better.

An osteopath is a medical doctor who provides holistic care to treat a wide range of conditions. While most people associate osteopaths with treating physical conditions, this alternative medicine doctor can also provide care and relief to those battling depression, anxiety and even insomnia.

An osteopath provides drug-free alternative treatment options including:

• Manipulative and manual therapy
• Lifestyle adjustments and modifications
• Dietary and nutritional counseling

An osteopath can also recommend nutritionists, dietitians, counselors, and psychologists that can also provide you with additional support and care to help you manage your depression.

Treating Depression with Osteopathic Medicine

Most people don’t realize that depression can also manifest itself in physiological ways as well, causing headaches, poor posture, and tense, aching muscles. Yes, your depression may also be responsible for your unexplained aches and pains.

An osteopath fully understands how mental health disorders impact the musculoskeletal system and can provide simple, side effect-free manipulative techniques that aim to target and treat these aches, pains, and tension.

Furthermore, by releasing tension and improving how the muscles, joints, ligaments and other soft tissue of the body function as a whole an osteopath can also reduce depressive symptoms that are associated with certain chronic conditions that may be impacting your musculoskeletal health.

Along with manipulative treatment, an osteopath can also look into your diet and lifestyle to determine if there are additional changes that need to be made to your daily routine to reduce stress and improve your symptoms of depression. If you are dealing with insomnia or sleep problems due to depression, regular osteopathic manipulative treatment can also improve your sleep.

If you are interested in learning more about osteopathic medicine and how it could help you better manage your depression than call your osteopath today to schedule a consultation.