With the prolonged social distancing measures as well as working from home for extended periods, it’s no surprise that mental health in Singapore is declining. Learn why mental health is important, and how osteopathy in Singapore promotes your mental health and wellbeing.
Why is mental health important?
Mental health plays a key role in numerous facets of our lives, affecting our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. Some examples of manging mental health’s impact on our lives include coping with stress, staying physically healthy, having good relationships with others, as well as being able to work productively and pursue your individual passions. Mental health is important at every stage of one’s life, be it a young child, a working adult, or a retired senior.
Singaporeans tend to delay seeking treatment for mental health issues or avoid discussing them with loved ones and professionals, preferring instead to tough it out or downplay it. This can potentially lead to a cascade of issues like chronic pain and stress levels with negative outcomes, such as an increased risk of physical health conditions and further impact mental health. Research has found that depression increases the risk for numerous physical health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. In addition, prolonged stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which increases the likelihood of chronic conditions and slows down your recovery from injuries.
The good news is that just like physical health, mental health can be improved and strengthened over time. Some techniques include learning effective coping strategies, practicing meditation and mindfulness, as well as visiting an osteopathic centre in Singapore to treat existing ailments that are negatively impacting both your mental and physical health and wellbeing.
How does osteopathy improve my mental health?
Physical and mental health are intrinsically linked, and osteopathy aims to promote both forms of health through its whole-body approach to treating patients. By manipulating and strengthening the body’s musculoskeletal framework, osteopaths seek to engage the body’s innate self-regulatory and self-healing mechanisms to provide holistic health, improved recovery, and empower patients to live their best lives.
Osteopathy in Singapore utilises drug-free and non-invasive manual therapy to treat a wide range of patients from all walks of life. They range from adults complaining of back and neck pain due to work strain, athletes seeking rehabilitation from sports injuries, as well as patients experiencing constant muscle tension and migraines. Osteopaths undergo extensive training to be able to effectively diagnose patients’ conditions and develop a customised treatment plan to best address their individual needs and health goals.
A key treatment method that osteopathy uses to treat patients in Singapore is osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT. OMT refers to a range of techniques that osteopaths utilise to treat various conditions patients experience. They include muscle energy, myofascial release, and strain-counterstrain, amongst others. In particular, myofascial release involves the palpation of fascial tissues, aiming to reduce pain by easing tension and tightness in trigger points present in tissues to treat conditions such as chronic headaches and back pain.
In addition to treating muscle pain and migraines, OMT is also used in supporting the treatment of conditions such as asthma, sinus disorders, and menstrual pain, amongst others. By restoring muscle and tissue balance, realigning joints, treating structural and tissue abnormalities, and promoting overall blood flow, osteopathy in Singapore promotes mental health by improving focus and comfort, allowing patients to engage in active lifestyles, build meaningful relationships, and restore their passion for life.
With osteopathic centres in Singapore located at Orchard and Cecil Street, Edge Healthcare provides accessible and quality care to promote your mental health and wellbeing. Visit our website to find out more about our rates and services.