Functional medicine
Pain & functional limitations
Regulative & preventative medicine
Dr. med. univ. Klaus Wachter
Therapy process
The Medical History
The process always begins with a detailed personal conversation about your past medical history and a review of any existing medical records.
The Physical Examination
This is followed by a thorough physical examination from orthopedic, neurological, and sports medicine perspectives, including an examination by hand (palpation).
In modern medicine, diagnosing with the hands, the literal "grasping," has gone out of fashion. In manual medicine, patients are specifically examined for structural or functional disorders by the physician's hand. Often, diagnoses can be made that had previously eluded all imaging techniques.
After this comprehensive examination, I can determine whether a neuromuscular dysfunction is present and if, for example, a "vertebral blockage" is the cause of your pain.
For some patients, manual techniques may not be effective initially, and systemic causes must be corrected beforehand, such as short-term dietary changes, heavy metal detoxification, or orthomolecular metabolic regulation.
The Subsequent Therapy
If a manual method is indicated, a variety of manual techniques are used in the subsequent therapy to allow for targeted and safe treatment. Manipulation techniques are always just one part of a broader range of soft tissue techniques.
An example of Manual Therapy is the manipulation of a blocked cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spinal joint. With precise hand movements - little force, targeted speed, and low amplitude (known as HVLA Thrust) - the joint is adjusted back to its original position.
The actual effect is a neuromuscular reflex therapy, which has a diverse impact on the musculoskeletal system. Often, you will hear a pleasant popping sound as the joint glides back into its physiological position, allowing for healthy, pain-free joint function again.
This thrust is always pain-free!
Manual medicine is considered a conservative orthopedic method whose diagnostic capabilities are indispensable for painful disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Manual therapy techniques play an exceptional role in the treatment of relevant illnesses due to their economy and their efficiency, which can often be observed very quickly.
The Austrian Medical Association for Manual Medicine (ÖÄGMM) strives to teach in its courses the knowledge content that is not sufficiently conveyed in studies and training at hospitals and clinics, so that this knowledge can be successfully applied to patients.
Text: Austrian Medical Association for Manual Medicine and Conservative Orthopedics, according to Univ. Prof. Dr. Hans Tilscher