Manual Osteopathic therapy can help reduce stress-related heart disease by addressing the body’s structural, nervous, and circulatory systems. MOT has a few foundational modalities that specifically target these 3 systems by restoring balance, reducing tension, and overall function of the body.
First, we need to understand how stress can affect and cause certain heart diseases such as Coronary Artery Disease, Strokes, Arrhythmia, etc. In general, stress can trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol which activates the body's sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight system), resulting in an increase of heart rate, inflammation, and blood pressure. Chronic high blood pressure often leads to artery damage making them less flexible and promoting atherosclerosis. Once the hardening of the arteries begins, blood flow can also become less efficient leading to plaque buildup forming clots. These are only a few examples of how stress can affect heart disease.
Manual Osteopathic techniques such as cranial sacral therapy, visceral manipulation, and simple osteopathic adjustments can reduce the build-up of stress in the body, and therefore also indirectly reducing the chances of developing stress-related heart diseases. By using Cranial sacral therapy to realign the cranial bones and synchronize the connection between the upper and lower body, we directly stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which balances the fight or flight system, promoting relaxation and lowering the cortisol and adrenaline levels in the body. Which leads to a lower blood pressure preventing artery strains and future damage.
Visceral manipulation is another technique that directly affects the organs involved in the 3 systems to reduce stress. By working directly with organs such as the lungs or the heart, we can encourage it to move in its natural rhythm, allowing the organ to work more efficiently increase the blood flow with more oxygen, and decrease the amount of strain the heart gets.
Osteopathic adjustments can also decrease the amount of stress throughout the body. By realigning the skeletal structures such as the ribs, shoulders, and collarbone, we can increase the function and space of the lungs allowing deeper breathing. This can reduce the strain on the cardiovascular system and also stimulate the parasympathetic system calming the mental state.
To learn more about how osteopathic therapy can help decrease stress-related heart diseases, you can book an appointment at the link below
~ Derek Chiu MOT, RMT