What is Osteopathy?
There are two kinds of fully licensed physicians in the United States: those with a Doctor of Osteopathy degree (Osteopaths, or "DO's"), and those with a Doctor of Medicine degree (Allopaths, or "MD's"). While their medical training is similar in many ways, Osteopathy is based on a unique philosophy that sets it apart. . . .
The Osteopathic Philosophy
Osteopathy is more that a compilation of information and techniques; it is fundamentally a philosophy, a way of viewing the whole person in health and disease. Medical knowledge and individual techniques are applied in light of this constant philosophy, allowing Osteopathy to always remain relevant and up-to-date as new biomedical discoveries are made and as theories rise and fall.
Osteopathy rests on four basic principles:
1. Body Unity
A person functions as a whole -- consisting of body, mind, and spirit-- in health and in sickness. An Osteopath must pay attention to the whole, including the interactions between all the systems of the body (nervous, circulatory, respiratory, etc.), for no part functions in isolation.
2. Self-Healing
The body is "self-healing and self-regulating." Osteopaths believe that this principle is at work even in the seriously ill. Treatment is fundamentally aimed at supporting and enhancing the body's own healing mechanisms, such as the immune system, hormonal system, and tissue repair mechanisms.
3. Structure and Function
Body structure (anatomy) and body function (physiology) are intimately connected. When there is disruption of structure, function is always affected (manifesting as anything from a limp to gastritis to emotional distress). In turn, a change in function causes changes in structure, which can be felt by the Osteopath's trained hands and help in making a diagnosis. With OMT, DO's manipulate the body structure to improve it's function.
4. Rational Treatment
A rational approach to medical treatment incorporates the above three principles in practical ways.
These principles have been used by DO's since the late 1800's to treat the whole range of ailments -- from asthma to migraines, ear infections to influenza, colitis to arthritis-- as well as for disease prevention and health promotion.
Osteopathy rests on four basic principles:
1. Body Unity
A person functions as a whole -- consisting of body, mind, and spirit-- in health and in sickness. An Osteopath must pay attention to the whole, including the interactions between all the systems of the body (nervous, circulatory, respiratory, etc.), for no part functions in isolation.
2. Self-Healing
The body is "self-healing and self-regulating." Osteopaths believe that this principle is at work even in the seriously ill. Treatment is fundamentally aimed at supporting and enhancing the body's own healing mechanisms, such as the immune system, hormonal system, and tissue repair mechanisms.
3. Structure and Function
Body structure (anatomy) and body function (physiology) are intimately connected. When there is disruption of structure, function is always affected (manifesting as anything from a limp to gastritis to emotional distress). In turn, a change in function causes changes in structure, which can be felt by the Osteopath's trained hands and help in making a diagnosis. With OMT, DO's manipulate the body structure to improve it's function.
4. Rational Treatment
A rational approach to medical treatment incorporates the above three principles in practical ways.
These principles have been used by DO's since the late 1800's to treat the whole range of ailments -- from asthma to migraines, ear infections to influenza, colitis to arthritis-- as well as for disease prevention and health promotion.
Doctors with a Difference
As a licensed physician, an Osteopath's training encompasses the full range of medical practice, from surgery and obstetrics to nutrition and pharmacology. However, DO's are also uniquely trained to understand the body's structure and how it influences health and disease. They are able to use their hands to diagnose structural problems and treat them using Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, or "OMT."
How OMT Works
DO's are trained in many styles of treatment, from rapid "thrust"-style techniques to subtle cranial manipulation. While styles may vary, the underlying goals remain the same:
- to permit normal, free motion throughout the body (including spine, cranium, limbs, and organs)
- to optimize blood flow and delivery of oxygen to depleted tissues
- to ensure adequate drainage of waste products from diseased or injured tissues, via the veins and lymphatics
- to ensure nerve conduction is unimpeded
- to enhance immune function and hormonal balance
- to maximize the person's ability to adapt and cope as a physical, emotional, and spiritual being