What is Osteopathy?

by James M. Yeh, D.O., and Bart Bödy, Ph.D.

What Is It?

In 1874, Andrew T. Still, M.D., founded osteopathic medicine around the notion that the body’s structural components are critical in maintaining health. He himself suffered greatly from migraine headaches and only found relief from lying on his back, with his neck supported by a rope suspended between two trees. This led him to the development of his theories on body mechanics and its relationship to disease.

Around 1895, a former student of osteopathic medicine, B.J. Palmer, developed chiropractic manipulation and practice. Although there are some superficial similarities, osteopathy differs from chiropractic in both theory and treatment philosophy. Chiropractors focus on the alignment of the spinal vertebrae. Osteopathic manipulation addresses all the muscles, fascia, nerves, bones and joints. It aims to remove restrictions, to restore and maintain the flow of bodily fluids, such as blood and lymph, and to facilitates movement throughout the various bodily systems, and throughout the entire body.

Osteopathy sees the body as a complex structure in which each physiological system, such as the lymphatic, cardiovascular, nervous, or musculoskeletal, directly affects the function of every other system. To maximize intrinsic healing, all the systems must work together. If any one system is inhibited, healing is prevented or delayed. Osteopathic manipulation can optimize the functions of specific bodily systems, and thus relieve a wide range of ailments, such as TMJ, headaches, chronic pain disorders, sleep disorders, gynecologic disorders, back and neck pain, chronic middle ear infections, and eustachian tube dysfunction.

Who Does It?

A doctor of osteopathy, or DO, is a fully licensed physician, with training in both western medicine and the art of manipulation. DOs are fully qualified and licensed to prescribe medication, perform surgery, and to carry out any other medical procedures and functions in accordance with their specific training and certification. DOs can be found in a variety of medical specialties, from surgery to infectious disease.

DOs combine manipulation with other treatment modalities commonly practiced as part of standard western medicine, such as pharmacology and surgery. But they usually operate on a very different philosophy than do most practitioners of standard western medicine. They believe that the body has the intrinsic ability to heal itself. They concern themselves with not just physical motion, energy, and health, but also with “spiritual energy” and mental health. Many osteopaths have also studied other forms of healing, such as homeopathy, nutrition, herbology, and acupuncture.

Does It Hurt?

Osteopathic manipulation is usually gentle and soothing. But it is quite different from massage. Some forms are similar to chiropractic adjustments. At times it may be uncomfortable, but not acutely so. There are several different techniques that the practitioner can choose from, depending on the particular situation.