A Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) is similar to a traditional physician (MD) but receives additional training in the body’s musculoskeletal system, taking a holistic approach to medicine. DOs use osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to manipulate the body and help it heal itself. Andrew Taylor Still, MD, is the father of the osteopathic movement.
A Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), more properly called a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, is much like a traditional physician (MD), but receives additional training in the body’s musculoskeletal system. This training teaches DOs to examine, diagnose, and treat the body as a whole, rather than treating a single disease or symptom. A doctor of osteopathy takes a more holistic approach to medicine, viewing the body as a whole system, rather than placing emphasis on one particular part.
The father of the osteopathic movement is Andrew Taylor Still, MD, an American physician practicing in the late 19th century. In 19, he had become disillusioned with the “modern medicine” of the time and its useless drugs and treatments. He felt strongly that the body had its own powerful self-healing ability. Dr. Still was an early proponent of “wellness” and a healthy lifestyle with a focus on preventative medicine.
DOs are trained and licensed to examine patients, prescribe medicines, and perform surgeries like a doctor. To become a doctor of osteopathy, one must complete four years of college work, usually in a scientific field, followed by four years of medical school. DOs complete an additional 300 to 500 hours studying the musculoskeletal system of the body and learn practical methods of diagnosis and treatment. DOs are licensed by the region in which they live, and in many areas can become board certified after a two to six year residency and completion of the board certification exams. DOs can also choose to specialize in a particular field, as MDs do.
A doctor of osteopathy is trained to palpate or feel what is sometimes called the living anatomy of the body. DO affects the way fluids flow throughout the body, the texture and movement of tissues, and the structure of the body. The emphasis is on the musculoskeletal system, which is the body’s system of nerves, muscles, and bones. A doctor of osteopathy attempts to determine how disease or injury to a particular system or body part affects another.
Many DOs use a technique called osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in addition to traditional medicines and treatments to treat their patients. They believe that stress and posture can affect body systems and hinder their proper function, thus causing disease and infirmity. Through OMT, they manipulate the body in certain ways to help it use its natural healing system freely, unhindered. If the body is in the correct position, it can work to heal itself. DOs can release bones and joints that have become compressed, thereby affecting other systems.
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