Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Osteopathy?Osteopathic ManipulationBenefitsTraining
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Osteopathy?
Osteopathic Manipulation
Benefits
Training
Osteopathy practitionerstreat and prevent illness through evidence-based science, using the latest techniques and technologies but with a special eye on how lifestyle and environmental factors affect your health.
Osteopathicdoctors (DOs) account for about 11% of physicians in the United States.They work in primary care, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and more. Specialized training in bones, joints, and muscles is a foundation for osteopath knowledge of the body’snervousand circulatory systems.
This article explains what a DO is and how they are trained. It also details osteopathic treatment and the difference between osteopathy,naturopathy, andchiropracticcare.
Osteopathic medical schools emphasize primary care training, so many of the 148,000 practicing DOs work as primary care providers. Some 57% specialize in pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN), and other family medicine or adjacent fields.
Some osteopathic physicians offer traditional diagnosis and treatment. Both traditional (allopathic) medicine and osteopathy focus on treating symptoms and diseases with medication and surgery. But DOs also may integrate their training in osteopathic manipulative treatment.
Osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT) is a hands-on therapy that applies gentle pressure to manipulate the muscles, soft tissues, and joints. OMT is often used to treat lower back pain, but it has a wide array of other benefits.
Osteopathic manipulation therapy is used to treat disorders including:
People with chronic pain (arthritis, neck pain) or sports injuries often see a DO for treatment.
What Is That Popping Sound?
Benefits of Seeing an Osteopath
The benefits of seeing an osteopathic physician depend on your health condition, the type of approach that is most effective for you, and the provider’s level of expertise.
Osteopathic medicine can be especially helpful for patients with lower back pain (especially with pregnancy or obesity),sciatica pain,neck pain, and other muscle and joint strains.
Because DOs are trained in a “whole body” approach, they consider factors like immune health and hormone imbalances—not just a particular disease or condition. This may offer benefits for people seeking care for conditions that involve complex hormone and immune system imbalances.
Training for Doctors of Osteopathy
Anosteopathic physicianis a licensed medical practitioner who was trained in the field of osteopathic medicine. A “Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine” has the initials “DO” after their name.
Osteopathic Doctor vs. MD
Like an MD, an osteopathic physician is a fully trained and licensed physician. DOs and MDs are considered equal, legally, and in terms of their authority to diagnose and treat various health conditions, prescribe medications, and perform surgery. Both DOs and MDs need an undergraduate degree, plus at least four years of medical school.
DOs and MDs then need to typically complete a two- to six-year internship/residency program, pass state licensing exams, and obtain continuing education to remain certified. Like MDs, DOs can specialize in particular areas of medicine. The osteopathic medical school emphasizes the whole person and the connection between the musculoskeletal system and disease and symptoms.
Osteopathic physicians cover the same curriculum as MDs at osteopathic medical schools.They also receive an additional 300 to 500 hours of specialized osteopathic training, studying osteopathic manipulation therapy.
How to Check and Verify a Doctor’s Board Certification
Osteopathic Doctor vs. Naturopath
Some people get confused between osteopathic providers and naturopathic providers. Osteopathic physicians are physicians and, like MDs, can be licensed to practice medicine and perform surgery in all 50 states of the U.S.
With attendance at a reputable naturopathic medical school and licensing and certifications,naturopathic physicianscan be licensed to practice medicine—including the writing of most prescriptions—in some (but not all) states in the U.S. Even in states that license naturopaths as full physicians, naturopaths are typically not licensed to perform surgery.
Osteopathic Doctor vs. Chiropractor
Chiropractic care relies on manual manipulation of the neck, back, and other parts of the body to relieve symptoms and support overall health. Unlike DOs, however, chiropractors are considered complementary medicine providers. Some may offer services likeacupuncture.
Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) graduate from four-year doctoral programs. The curriculum includes at least 4,200 hours of classroom, lab, and clinical internship.
Chiropractors need to successfully pass certification exams before they receive a license.
Summary
Doctors of osteopathy (DOs) practice medicine alongside their MD counterparts after completing comparable training, certification, and licensing requirements. The DO, however, is trained with more of a holistic emphasis on health that includes additional training in osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT).
The DO often specializes in primary care or related disciplines, like pediatrics, emergency medicine, or other specialties. They prescribe medication and perform many procedures but people diagnosed with certain conditions, like chronic pain, may benefit from added OMT care.
If you’re considering seeing a DO, check with the American Osteopathic Association to find one near you. Keep in mind that it’s important to research carefully when choosing anyhealthcare provider.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Osteopathic Association.What is osteopathic medicine?American Osteopathic Association.Osteopathic medical profession report 2023.UC Davis Health.Osteopathic manipulation therapy.Roberts A, Harris K, Outen B, et al.Osteopathic manipulative medicine: a brief review of the hands-on treatment approaches and their therapeutic uses.Medicines. 2022;9(5):33. doi:10.3390/medicines9050033American Academy of Osteopathy.Osteopathic medicine FAQ.Licciardone JC.Preventing progression from chronic to widespread pain and its impact on health-related quality of life: a historical cohort study of osteopathic medical care. J Osteopath Med. 2021;122(1):21-29. doi:10.1515/jom-2021-0105Martínez-Ochoa MJ, Fernández-Domínguez JC, Morales-Asencio JM, González-Iglesias J, Ricard F, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca Á.Effectiveness of an osteopathic abdominal manual intervention in pain thresholds, lumbopelvic mobility, and posture in women with chronic functional constipation.J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(8):816-824. doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0081Frank LD, Bhatia S, Snider KT.Characteristics and management of pregnant patients from a neuromusculoskeletal medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2020;120(12):913-920. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2020.151Library of Congress.What causes the noise when you crack a joint?Bagagiolo D, Rosa D, Borrelli F.Efficacy and safety of osteopathic manipulative treatment: an overview of systematic reviews.BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 12;12(4):e053468. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053468.American Osteopathic Association.Discover the DO difference.American Osteopathic Association.What is a DO?Davis GE, Gayer GG.Comparison of basic science knowledge between DO and MD students.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2017;117(2):114-123. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2017.022National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Doctor of osteopathic medicine.Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.The difference between a traditional naturopath and a licensed naturopathic doctor in North America.National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.Chiropractic Education.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Osteopathic Association.What is osteopathic medicine?American Osteopathic Association.Osteopathic medical profession report 2023.UC Davis Health.Osteopathic manipulation therapy.Roberts A, Harris K, Outen B, et al.Osteopathic manipulative medicine: a brief review of the hands-on treatment approaches and their therapeutic uses.Medicines. 2022;9(5):33. doi:10.3390/medicines9050033American Academy of Osteopathy.Osteopathic medicine FAQ.Licciardone JC.Preventing progression from chronic to widespread pain and its impact on health-related quality of life: a historical cohort study of osteopathic medical care. J Osteopath Med. 2021;122(1):21-29. doi:10.1515/jom-2021-0105Martínez-Ochoa MJ, Fernández-Domínguez JC, Morales-Asencio JM, González-Iglesias J, Ricard F, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca Á.Effectiveness of an osteopathic abdominal manual intervention in pain thresholds, lumbopelvic mobility, and posture in women with chronic functional constipation.J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(8):816-824. doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0081Frank LD, Bhatia S, Snider KT.Characteristics and management of pregnant patients from a neuromusculoskeletal medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2020;120(12):913-920. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2020.151Library of Congress.What causes the noise when you crack a joint?Bagagiolo D, Rosa D, Borrelli F.Efficacy and safety of osteopathic manipulative treatment: an overview of systematic reviews.BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 12;12(4):e053468. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053468.American Osteopathic Association.Discover the DO difference.American Osteopathic Association.What is a DO?Davis GE, Gayer GG.Comparison of basic science knowledge between DO and MD students.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2017;117(2):114-123. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2017.022National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Doctor of osteopathic medicine.Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.The difference between a traditional naturopath and a licensed naturopathic doctor in North America.National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.Chiropractic Education.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Osteopathic Association.What is osteopathic medicine?American Osteopathic Association.Osteopathic medical profession report 2023.UC Davis Health.Osteopathic manipulation therapy.Roberts A, Harris K, Outen B, et al.Osteopathic manipulative medicine: a brief review of the hands-on treatment approaches and their therapeutic uses.Medicines. 2022;9(5):33. doi:10.3390/medicines9050033American Academy of Osteopathy.Osteopathic medicine FAQ.Licciardone JC.Preventing progression from chronic to widespread pain and its impact on health-related quality of life: a historical cohort study of osteopathic medical care. J Osteopath Med. 2021;122(1):21-29. doi:10.1515/jom-2021-0105Martínez-Ochoa MJ, Fernández-Domínguez JC, Morales-Asencio JM, González-Iglesias J, Ricard F, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca Á.Effectiveness of an osteopathic abdominal manual intervention in pain thresholds, lumbopelvic mobility, and posture in women with chronic functional constipation.J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(8):816-824. doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0081Frank LD, Bhatia S, Snider KT.Characteristics and management of pregnant patients from a neuromusculoskeletal medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2020;120(12):913-920. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2020.151Library of Congress.What causes the noise when you crack a joint?Bagagiolo D, Rosa D, Borrelli F.Efficacy and safety of osteopathic manipulative treatment: an overview of systematic reviews.BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 12;12(4):e053468. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053468.American Osteopathic Association.Discover the DO difference.American Osteopathic Association.What is a DO?Davis GE, Gayer GG.Comparison of basic science knowledge between DO and MD students.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2017;117(2):114-123. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2017.022National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Doctor of osteopathic medicine.Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.The difference between a traditional naturopath and a licensed naturopathic doctor in North America.National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.Chiropractic Education.
American Osteopathic Association.What is osteopathic medicine?
American Osteopathic Association.Osteopathic medical profession report 2023.
UC Davis Health.Osteopathic manipulation therapy.
Roberts A, Harris K, Outen B, et al.Osteopathic manipulative medicine: a brief review of the hands-on treatment approaches and their therapeutic uses.Medicines. 2022;9(5):33. doi:10.3390/medicines9050033
American Academy of Osteopathy.Osteopathic medicine FAQ.
Licciardone JC.Preventing progression from chronic to widespread pain and its impact on health-related quality of life: a historical cohort study of osteopathic medical care. J Osteopath Med. 2021;122(1):21-29. doi:10.1515/jom-2021-0105
Martínez-Ochoa MJ, Fernández-Domínguez JC, Morales-Asencio JM, González-Iglesias J, Ricard F, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca Á.Effectiveness of an osteopathic abdominal manual intervention in pain thresholds, lumbopelvic mobility, and posture in women with chronic functional constipation.J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(8):816-824. doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0081
Frank LD, Bhatia S, Snider KT.Characteristics and management of pregnant patients from a neuromusculoskeletal medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2020;120(12):913-920. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2020.151
Library of Congress.What causes the noise when you crack a joint?
Bagagiolo D, Rosa D, Borrelli F.Efficacy and safety of osteopathic manipulative treatment: an overview of systematic reviews.BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 12;12(4):e053468. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053468.
American Osteopathic Association.Discover the DO difference.
American Osteopathic Association.What is a DO?
Davis GE, Gayer GG.Comparison of basic science knowledge between DO and MD students.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2017;117(2):114-123. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2017.022
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Doctor of osteopathic medicine.
Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.The difference between a traditional naturopath and a licensed naturopathic doctor in North America.
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.Chiropractic Education.
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