- As a physician, you can be an MD or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy). Osteopaths have traditional western doctor training plus more. They hold to the common sense principle that a patient’s history of illnesses and physical traumas are written into the body’s structure. It is the Osteopath’s highly developed sense of touch that allows the physician to palpate (feel) the patient’s “living anatomy” (i.e. flow of fluids, motion of tissues, and structural make-up). In more clinical terms, a Doctor of Osteopathy can even detect physical problems that fail to appear on an X-ray.
- Many people ask if osteopaths are bone doctors. That is only one aspect of their care. One of the Osteopath’s jobs is to “set” the body up to heal itself. To restore this normal function, the Osteopath gently applies a precise amount of force to promote movement of the bodily fluids, eliminate dysfunction in the motion of the tissues, and release compressed bones and joints. In addition, the areas being treated require proper positioning to assist the body’s ability to regain normal tissue function.
- Osteopaths have a holistic outlook on medicine, understanding that disharmony in your mind, body, or spirit, will cause an imbalance in your overall health.