About Osteopathy

Doctors of Osteopathy are a type of physician in the United States.

What is an Osteopathic Physician?

There are two types of United States physicians: medical doctor (MD) and doctor of osteopathy (DO). Like MDs, DOs are qualified to perform surgery and to prescribe medications. Both obtain bachelor’s degrees and four years of medical school, followed by 3-8 years of fellowships, residencies, and internships. MDs and DOs can practice their medicine in any specialty, such as family medicine, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, and ophthalmology. Both also must pass exams and be licensed for their state of practice. Osteopaths differ, however, in their approach to medicine. Many serve “rural and other…underserved” areas and most focus on family medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology. DOs are typically primary care physicians.¹ Osteopathy is considered “a type of complementary and alternative medicine” which focuses on the musculoskeletal system. In the osteopathic philosophy, it is believed that the body can heal itself, and that well-being relies on “bones, muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue functioning smoothly together.”²

U.S. and Other Countries

Osteopaths are not physicians when they are trained outside of the United States. Their treatments are limited to “non-invasive manual therapies…nutritional (and) postural…health advice”. The American Osteopathic Association and American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine refer to U.S.-trained osteopaths as “osteopathic physicians” performing “osteopathic medicine”. Those trained outside of the U.S., therefore, are distinguished as “osteopaths”.³ They focus their treatments solely upon manual therapies and manipulation, not surgery or writing prescriptions. The DOs in the United States can engage in modern medicine, with a “holistic, hands-on approach”. They may practice anywhere in the country, as well as in 44 countries abroad, and they could prescribe medications, perform surgery, and use “osteopathic manipulative techniques”.⁴

Treatment

While visiting a DO is similar to an office visit with an MD, the DO will focus more on the bones, tendons, joints, ligaments, and muscles. They will check balance, posture, the spine, arms, legs and back. OMT procedures (indirect and direct) may be performed. Direct OMT moves the “tight” or “problem” tissues toward the tightness. Indirect OMT “pushes the tight tissues away”. There are many illnesses and conditions that osteopathy can treat, similar to chiropractic treatment. Like chiropractors, osteopaths can help with neck pain, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, asthma, low back pain, ankle injuries, menstrual pain, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and more. Of course, as with chiropractic care, osteopathic treatment should not be performed on broken or infected bones. Other conditions will also need special monitoring, such as osteoporosis. The American Osteopathic Association (AOA), American Academy of Osteopathy and American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians can help patients find a DO.⁵