• Osteopathy uses a drug-free, non-invasive form of manual medicine that focuses on the health of the whole body, not just the injured or affected part.
• The osteopathic physician focuses on the joints, muscles, and spine.
• Osteopathic intervention can help treat arthritis, back pain, headaches, tennis elbow, digestive issues, and postural problems.
• Treatment can also assist with sleep cycles and the nervous, circulatory, and lymphatic symptoms.

What is osteopathy?

Osteopathy takes a holistic, whole-body approach to healthcare.

It uses manual ‘hands-on’ techniques to improve circulation and correct altered biomechanics, without the use of drugs.

An osteopathic physician does not concentrate only on the problem area, but uses manual techniques to balance all the body systems, and to provide overall good health and wellbeing.

Diagnosing and treating conditions using these techniques is called Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM).

Techniques include stretching, gentle pressure, and resistance, known as osteopathic manipulative medicine.

An osteopathic physician may also issue prescription medicine and use surgical methods to support the holistic, manual treatment.

Osteopathy can provide relief and treatment for a wide range of conditions.

These include:

• arthritis
• foot, ankle, hip, and knee pain
• back pain, neck pain, and sciatica
• hand, shoulder, and elbow pain
• headaches
• tennis and golfer’s elbow
• postural problems due to pregnancy, sports injury, driving or work strain, or digestive issues
• neuralgia

Treatment involves gentle and subtle manipulation, especially of the muscles and soft tissues. The doctor may stretch or massage the muscle.

If there are signs of a displaced disk or other serious condition, the osteopathic physician may recommend doing some imaging tests and direct the patient toward conventional treatment.

An osteopathic physician can help prevent problems by pinpointing potential sources of referred pain in good time.

They may suggest dietary modifications and changes to workplace ergonomics, such as seating and desk position.

Prevention advice can involve:

• stretching exercises
• lifting techniques
• posture
• breathing
• stress reduction

These techniques can help improve posture and reduce pain. Learning to lift with the legs, or example, and to stretch before exercise can reduce injury.

Lifestyle changes can dramatically improve health and reduce ongoing health risks and costs.

Preventing injury means more time keeping active, less time off work, and freedom to enjoy the benefits of healthful living.

Osteopathic Medicine

What Is Osteopathic Medicine?

Osteopathic medicine is based on the idea that all the body’s systems are interrelated. Osteopaths focus on treating the whole person. There are more than 114,000 osteopathic doctors in the U.S. And more than 1 in 4 U.S. medical students are on the path to becoming a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO).

Osteopathic medicine dates back more than 100 years. Its founder, Andrew Taylor Still, thought that correcting problems with the body's structure could help the body heal itself. Still, who practiced during the Civil War, believed that spine problems can send nerve signals out to all the organs and make you sick. He developed osteopathic manipulation treatments  with a goal of restoring the nerves to a healthy state and promoting circulation so the body could heal itself.

One key idea in this field is that many diseases result from, or cause, problems within the body's musculoskeletal system, which includes nerves, muscles, and bones. DOs pay extra attention to how all your body parts work together in order to prevent or treat health issues. And they get special training in that.

Osteopathic medicine is about your whole body, not just specific parts or symptoms. So if you come in with, say, knee pain, they’re likely going to look at more than your knee.

Osteopathic doctors believe touch can be healing. All DOs are trained in osteopathic manipulative treatment, sometimes called manual manipulation or OMT. That's a hands-on method to help diagnose and treat illnesses. Not all DOs use it regularly in their practice, though.

How Are Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine Trained?

Most students who apply to osteopathic medical school first earn a bachelor’s degree and many also have a master’s degree or doctorate.

Osteopathic doctors get extra training in the musculoskeletal system. But they also learn all the other parts of modern medicine. They can prescribe medication, do surgery, run tests, and do everything else you would expect from a doctor.

After 4 years of medical school, osteopathic doctors do a residency in their chosen area of specialty. Just like an MD, they may become a primary care doctor, a pediatrician, or a specialist like a dermatologist or cardiologist.

Osteopathic vs. Naturopathic Practitioners

While osteopathy and naturopathy may sound similar, they’re different. Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to heal your body.

Like DOs, naturopathic practitioners are trained, but the type of training varies. Naturopathic doctors complete a 4-year graduate-level program at a naturopathic medical school. Naturopaths aren’t licensed and take training programs that aren’t certified by the U.S. Department of Education.  

DOs focus on hands-on diagnosis and treatment along with prescription medicine, surgery, and technology. A naturopathic practitioner’s goal is to heal you through natural substances like food, herbs, and water, plus lifestyle changes such as exercise and lowering your stress.

What to Expect From an Osteopath

An exam with an OD is similar to an exam with any other kind of doctor. You’ll get your blood pressure checked, and you’ll step on a scale. They’ll want to hear about your lifestyle -- such as what you eat, what you do for exercise, and how stressed you feel -- as well as any symptoms that bother you.

Prevention is a big part of the osteopathic approach to medicine, so your DO will probably give you advice to help you avoid injuries or diseases down the road. An osteopath can give you any vaccines you need and recommend routine medical tests like a mammogram or a cholesterol blood test, a quit-smoking program, or screening tests for depression or another mental health problem. 

Medicare and private insurance should treat your appointment the same as a visit to any other doctor.

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment

A main way ODs are different from MDs is that they may use osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to diagnose and treat illnesses. They believe tightness and restriction in your nerves and muscles can be caused by or lead to other problems. So they use their hands to gently move your joints and tissues to correct any restrictions in your range of motion.

The practice includes 40 techniques, including:

• Soft tissue. You’ll feel stretching and pressure on your muscles.
• Muscle energy. In this technique, you move your muscles in a specific direction while the DO counters that movement. Think push-pull.
• Myofascial release. Your DO uses firm but gentle pressure to release tension in the fascia, which is the layer of connective tissue that surrounds your bones, muscles, and organs.
• Osteopathic cranial manipulative medicine. Your DO applies soft pressure to your skull to stimulate healing.

Some find that this natural treatment helps in place of drugs or surgery for some conditions. It's often used for muscle pain, but it can help treat a wide range of health problems, including:

• Low back pain
• Neck pain
• Sports injuries
• Repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome
• Some headaches, including migraines
• Asthma
• Sinus problems
• Menstrual pain

Osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest-growing health care professions in the country, with one out of every four medical students enrolled in an osteopathic medical school. Accounting for approximately 11% of all physicians in the United States, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or DOs, apply a unique patient-centered approach to the full spectrum of care.

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine practice in all medical specialities, including primary care, pediatrics, OBGYN, emergency medicine, psychiatry and surgery. Moreover, DOs hold some of the most prominent positions in medicine today, including overseeing care for the President of the United States, the NASA medical team, Olympic athletes and many who serve in the uniformed services.

From their first days of medical school, DOs are trained to look beyond your symptoms to understand how lifestyle and environmental factors impact your well-being. They practice medicine according to the latest science and technology, but also consider options to complement pharmaceuticals and surgery.

As part of their education, DOs receive special training in the musculoskeletal system, your body’s interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones. By combining this knowledge with the latest advances in medical technology, they offer patients the most comprehensive care available in healthcare today.

Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT)