Osteopathic Medicine | Arthritis and Spine Care
“There aren’t enough words to express how pleased we are with Dr. Colbert. She is amazing, and our patients are incredibly happy with the care she provides.”
— LC, Skilled Nursing Facility Administrator
Dr. Melissa Colbert, MD is a Harvard Medical School trained physician in Northampton, MA, who specializes in musculoskeletal medicine, non-opioid pain management, and arthritis treatment.
To learn more about Dr. Colbert please visit her bio.
SPECIALTIES
My areas of special interest include:
Back pain
I also treat a number of other conditions, including myofascial pain, trigger points, muscle spasms, joint pain, spinal arthritis, neck pain, low back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, and sciatica. Learn more or click get started below to schedule a visit.
APPROACH
Our bodies contain all of the necessary elements for healing, but our modern lifestyles and experiences can inhibit these elements due to chronic inflammation and increased stress.
Using very gentle techniques, I aim to shine a light on my patients' own intrinsic healing capabilities.
For many of the hundreds of patients I have worked with over the years, the unique combination of hands-on treatments I offer provides the 'missing link' in their healing process, as it supports the body's return to a state of balance and tranquility.
Below are testimonials from some of my patients and colleagues. To read more, visit our testimonials page or click get started below to schedule a visit.
What patients and colleagues are saying:
“There aren’t enough words to express how pleased we are with Dr. Colbert. She is amazing, and our patients are incredibly happy with the care she provides.”
“I have the pleasure of working with Dr. Melissa Colbert as the Medical Director of our Pain and Functional Restoration Program at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network in Medford MA. Dr. Colbert is warm, caring and extremely empathic with her patients. She gleans a comprehensive picture of their needs and has a vast repertoire of skills that she can provide. What I hear most from patients, however, is how comfortable she makes them and how she is able to truly listen and understand their plight. I am somewhat awed by how she manages to do all this and still maintains the busiest, most efficient caseload of any of our physicians. She also works closely with our diverse interdisciplinary team and makes herself available to consult and discuss patients both when she is on and off site. She is an extremely respected and valued member of our team and a phenomenal physician.
Sincerely,
”
“My knee arthritis was acting up while I was in the hospital. A cortisone injection took away my pain, and as a result I could walk out the door. Thanks, Dr. Colbert!”
“I am a sales and marketing professional in high tech who has dealt with chronic headaches and neck pain for several years. Working with Dr. Colbert I have found relief from my headaches and chronic pain patterns. Dr. Colbert looks at the whole person and listens to her patients. She is committed to helping her patients become pain free. Because of Dr. Colbert’s holistic and integrative approach, her skills, and experience, she has used acupuncture and trigger point therapy to help me first manage, reduce and finally eliminate pain. She listens to her patients and leverages her training and expertise to use a combination of approaches to break a patient’s pain cycle and get them pain free. She also teaches patients how to stay pain free.”
To read more patient testimonials and feedback, please visit our testimonial page.
What is an Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Doctor?
Osteopathic medicine, over a century old, was founded in the 1800s by medical physician Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO. After witnessing the effects of multiple epidemics on those he cared for (Native Americans, colonials, and his own children), Still sought to develop a practice that would expand the disease-focused approach of allopathic medicine to one of prevention and wellness.
His intricate understanding of human anatomy and physiology led him to conclude that the human body functions just as other living things in nature, demonstrating an inherent tendency toward balance and health, with intrinsic ability to heal itself.
The practice of osteopathic medicine is a specialized, clearly defined branch of medicine and is grounded in techniques designed to support the body’s inherent healing ability. In fact, being the oldest form of manual medicine in the western European tradition originating in the United States, osteopathic medicine has had a tremendous influence on a number of fields of bodywork practiced worldwide.
It has also made profound contributions to present day medical practices by emphasizing the essential elements of human touch and hands on diagnosis. The unique benefit of osteopathic manipulative medicine over other fields of bodywork is that it integrates the unlimited scope of practice of a full medical training with a perspective that acknowledges the relationship between mind, body, and spirit.
There are currently more than 100,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) in the United States. Students enrolling in medical school can choose a traditional allopathic medical school to become a Medical Doctor (MD), or they can choose an osteopathic medical school to become a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO).
Both types of doctors (MDs and DOs) can attend residencies in any medical or surgical specialty, and ultimately can treat patients with the same conditions. Osteopathic medical schools include the same training as allopathic medical schools, but the osteopathic approach contains an additional 500 hours of training in anatomy and manual medicine.
This training includes emphasis on the principles of Osteopathic Medicine, including the view that while the human body is comprised of many parts, it functions as a unified whole, and has an inherent tendency toward wellness. Osteopathic students learn assessments and treatments based on this approach, using the hands to diagnose and treat illness or injury.
Less commonly, a Medical Doctor (MD) will also pursue the additional training required to practice Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. This training may include taking numerous continuing education courses in osteopathic technique and philosophy, participating in fellowships, and mentorship. Only physicians (MD/DO or certain international physicians) and dentists are eligible to train and obtain membership of the Cranial Academy.
How Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) Works
Osteopathic manipulative treatment is a whole-person approach to patient care which uses a gentle type of medical bodywork. It requires a detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology in addition to a highly trained sense of touch coupled with the diagnostic skill and experience of a physician.
Osteopathic manipulative treatments can include gentle spinal manipulations, movement of the muscles and joints with stretching, gentle pressure and resistance, using techniques that balance the tension within ligaments, joints, muscles, and other structures. These techniques include balanced ligamentous tension, strain-counter-strain, and myofascial release.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment helps provide sustained release and alignment of the connective tissues, with the goal of providing gradual, lasting return to optimal alignment and well-being. Osteopathic manipulative treatment may be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments such as acupuncture, physical therapy, etc.
Several studies have shown benefits of osteopathic manipulative medicine for treatment of conditions ranging from frequent ear infections in children to low back pain in adults.
Who benefits from Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)?
Anyone from children to the elderly may benefit from Osteopathic manipulative treatment. Common conditions treated include musculoskeletal pain, arthritis, pelvic and postpartum pain or dysfunction, and other chronic health conditions such as diffuse pain due to Lyme disease or fibromyalgia.
For example, for patients with pelvic, hip, or low back pain after childbirth, Osteopathic manipulative treatment techniques aim to restore balance and strength to the pelvic muscles, to optimize sacral motion, and to balance hormones and the nervous system. Osteopathic manipulative treatment may also provide benefit in the context of digestive, respiratory, circulatory, menstrual, or other physiologic disorders.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment is often sought after for easing pain, increasing overall mobility, and for promoting healing. It may provide pain relief for patients with chronic pain seeking non-surgical or non-medication based approaches, or can be a compliment to these approaches.
Many patients find the benefits of osteopathic manipulative medicine to be longer lasting, and with fewer side effects than certain conventional treatments. There are rarely contraindications to Osteopathic manipulative treatment, although certain techniques may be more appropriate for one patient versus another based on individual health conditions and preferences.
Specific results will vary patient to patient, depending on the duration and severity of a particular health concern. Some conditions require a series of treatments to see lasting results, while others may respond immediately to osteopathic manipulative medicine. Most patients reach their treatment goals in one to three months.
Arthritis Doctor Near Me
Dr. Melissa Colbert, MD is a specialist in musculoskeletal medicine and arthritis care. Myomedicine Northampton serves the local community including Amherst and the wider Pioneer Valley, as well as surrounding areas, including the Berkshires.
Myomedicine’s philosophy is rooted in methodologies that aim to restore and optimize functioning of your body’s innate healing mechanisms. By targeting circulation and tissue oxygenation, Myomedicine’s approach is designed to balance the immune system and decrease inflammation, resulting in less pain, improved mobility, and enhanced vitality.
To schedule a visit with Dr. Colbert, click get started below:
About Northampton, MA
Northampton is a city in Massachusetts, United States. The city has a population of 28,549 according to the 2010 census. Northampton is a musical, academic, artistic and countercultural hub featuring a large population.
Northampton is considered part of the knowledge corridor - a partnership of cross-state economic and cultural Connecticut River valley towns and cities.
Northampton is also known for its established and well-reputed integrative health organizations, including Myomedicine Northampton, an integrative osteopathic manipulative medicine practice specializing in musculoskeletal conditions.
Article links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northampton,_Massachusetts
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199911043411903
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/481422?resultclick=1
“I feel most fortunate for the treatment I received from Dr. Colbert. She is indeed a rare find.
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