Frequently Asked Questions

What is a D.O.?
Are you like a Chiropractor?
How does osteopathy work?
What happens during a treatment?
How long before I'm better?
Are all the D.O.s the same?




"What is a D.O.?"

   D.O.s or osteopaths are licensed physicians with all of the education and privileges of allopathic physicians (M.D.), authorized to perform surgery and prescribe medication. Both D.O.s and M.D.s complete 4-years of medical school, and, both can choose to practice in any specialty of medicine. Unlike M.D.s, osteopaths also receive extensive training in body structure, function, and hands on manipulation. D.O.s approach the body as a whole, looking for the cause of symptoms, not just masking them with medications. Osteopaths treat these symptoms by isolating the source of the problem, by tapping into the body’s own healing power, and removing the source (a dysfunction) by hands on manipulation.

Are you like a Chiropractor?

    Osteopaths are very different from chiropractors. Chiropractors are not physicians, and thus cannot prescribed medications, order labs, or properly order imaging studies and interpret them. They do not receive the same amount of medical education as D.O.s. Their schooling involves a 3-4 year chiropractic school, while that of an Osteopath is 4 year of medical school, and a required 1 year of internship at a AOA (American Osteopathic Association) or AMA (American Medical Association) approved residency program. Hence, chiropractors may not necessary have the proper medical knowledge in dealing with certain medical illnesses.
    Chiropractors believe that the center of the body is the spine. This belief has led the chiropractors to mainly manipulate the spine. An Osteopath believes that all parts of the body are interrelated. It may be true that some problems arise from the spine, however, the majority of the time it doesn’t. The spine usually compensates for the other body part’s dysfunction.

How does osteopathy work?

    Osteopaths hold to the principle that a patient's history of illness and physical trauma 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 and texture of tissues, and structural make-up).
    The osteopath's job is to "set" the body to heal itself. To restore this normal function, the Osteopath gently applies a precise amount of force to promote healthy movements of the living anatomy, 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. This treatment modality is called Osteopathic Manual Medicine (OMM) or Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT).


What happens during a treatment?

    Most patients are treated lying down, however, treatments can also be conducted in any position to accommodated for patient comfort. There are many types of Osteopathic treatment technique and modalities. While most manipulation techniques are very gentle and require very little cooperation from patients, some techniques are more forceful. All techniques used are specific to the patient’s diagnosis and condition. During a treatment, patients will often experience a deep sense of relaxation, warmth, or coldness. Sometimes they will feel nothing at all.

How long before I'm better?

    Much is dependent on a patient's level of health (i.e. immune system), and the duration of the illness. A patient who is generally healthy will respond more quickly to treatment than a patient who is in poorer health.
    A chronic condition often takes years to develop. With this in mind, it stands to reason that it will also require time to resolve: the ratio is often one month of treatment for every year of illness. (Although every body has its own time-table, this is the average course of treatment).
    For a patient with an acute problem (flu, muscle strain, etc.), the course of treatment is shorter because the condition is not as deep as a chronic illness.

Are all the D.O.s the same?

    Unfortunately not all D.O.'s are the same. Only approximately 5% or less of Osteopaths will practice traditional osteopathy (incorporation of Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) in their practice). Those who do practice traditional osteopathy will spend extra hours taking courses, seminars, and working with other osteopaths to improve their skills. The remaining Osteopaths usually practice like any other traditional M.D.s.