Updated: 11-Jul-2005
General
What is an Osteopathic Physician?
Specialties
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
What is an Osteopathic Physician?
If you're like most people, you've been going to a doctor since you were born and perhaps didn't know if you were seeing a D.O. (osteopathic physician) or an M.D. (allopathic physician). You may not even be aware that there are two types of complete physicians in the United States.
The fact is, both D.O.s and M.D.s are fully qualified physicians licensed to perform surgery and practice medicine. Is there any difference between these two kinds of doctors? Yes. And no.
D.O.s bring something extra to medicine
- Osteopathic medical schools emphasize training students to be primary care physicians
- D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole
- Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care
- DOS receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system--your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of its body mass. This training provides osteopathic physicians with a better understanding of the ways that an injury or illness in one part of your body can affect another
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is incorporated in the training
and practice of osteopathic physicians. With OMT, osteopathic physicians
use their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to encourage your
body's natural tendency toward good health. By combining all available
medical procedures with OMT, DOS offer their patients the most comprehensive
care available in medicine today
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
Osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT, is hands-on care. It involves
using the hands to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. Using
OMT, your osteopathic physician (D.O.) will move your muscles and joints
using techniques including stretching, gentle pressure and resistance,
muscle contractions, and joint movements.
Who Can Benefit From OMT?
OMT can help people of all ages and backgrounds. It can:
- ease pain
- promote healing
- and increase mobility
OMT is often used to treat muscle and joint pain. But it can also help patients with a number of other health problems, including:
- Asthma and COPD
- Headaches and migraines
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Menstrual pain
- Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Syndromes
- and many more
When appropriate, OMT can complement--and even replace--drugs or surgery. In this way, OMT brings an important dimension to standard medical care.
To learn more about Osteopathic Medicine, please visit
the following sites:
American
Osteopathic Association
American
Academy of Osteopathy
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