WHAT IS A D.O.?
Doctors of Osteopathic medicine (D.O.) are fully trained medical physicians and are found practicing in every specialty. D.O.'s provide all of the benefits of modern medicine including prescription drugs, surgery, and the use of technology to diagnose disease and evaluate injury. In addition, D.O.'s are taught a system of hands-on procedures known as osteopathic manipulative treatments (OMT). Rather than focusing solely on disease treatment, osteopathic physicians emphasizes helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on holistic health promotion and disease prevention.
D.O. VERSUSÂ M.D.
MD’s and DO’s are very similar in nature. Both degrees have the same undergraduate requirements to enter into medical school, and upon completion, MD’s and DO’s alike can complete a residency program in any specialty (family medicine, dermatology, orthopedic surgery, etc.). Both MD and DO physicians are held to the same requirements for practicing medicine, can prescribe medications, and treat patients in all 50 states. The key difference is in the philosophy osteopathic students receive in medical school. Osteopathic medical schools emphasize the fact that all parts of the body are interconnected and work together to achieve optimal health. They also place an emphasis on the prevention of disease, and treating patients using a whole-person approach. Osteopathic medical students also receive additional training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a hands-on approach to diagnosis and treatment of somatic dysfunction.
Tenets of Osteopathic Medicine
1. The body is a unit; the person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit.
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2. The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance.
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3. Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
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4. Rational treatment is based upon an understanding of the basic principles of body unity, self-regulation, and the interrelationship of structure and function.
OSTEOPATHIC MANIPULATIVE TREATMENT (O.M.T)
In osteopathic medicine, somatic dysfunction is defined as the impaired or altered function of the components of the body's framework. Osteopathic physicians are trained to use several hands-on techniques to relieve somatic dysfunctions. Hands-on contact is an essential component for the D.O. doctor-patient relationship, and O.M.T techniques can restore natural structure to your body's interconnected system of muscles and bones. O.M.T has been found to help with health problems such as COPD, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, and much more.
O.M.T. TECHNIQUES
Soft Tissue: Used to move tissue fluids and relax hypertonic (tight) muscles associated with somatic dysfunction.
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Myofascial Release: Designed to treat muscle and joint restriction.
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Counterstrain: Used to treat sensitive somatic dysfunctions through moving opposite of a restrictive barrier to movement.
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Muscle Energy: Used to modify asymmetry in the body through using patient's muscle force against the physician's.
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High Velocity Low Amplitude (HVLA) Uses high velocity thrust techniques to realign joints and treat somatic dysfunctions.
