Osteopathy is a living science that continues to evolve. Osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnose and treat illness and injury, in addition to conventional medical tools. Osteopaths understand that the human being functions as a Whole, and that the body, mind, and spirit are interrelated in health and disease. Health is perceived as a dynamic process, continually changing and evolving. When this process comes out of balance with the Whole, disease may result.
Graduates of osteopathic medical school earn the degree Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, abbreviated DO. While osteopathy is a separate and distinct branch of medicine, DOs complete the same medical and surgical training as medical doctors (MDs) and therefore enjoy the full rights and privileges of all physicians and surgeons (for more information, click here).
Founded in 1874 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in order to re-enliven the practice of medicine, osteopathy looks closely at the relationship between form and function. Through in-depth study of anatomy and physiology and the natural laws that underlie them, osteopathy seeks to understand not merely the manifestations of disease, but also its cause.
Osteopaths acquire an intimate, palpatory knowledge of normal anatomy and physiology in order to recognize the origins of disease. We apply this hands-on knowledge in addition to conventional medical knowledge to treat all medical conditions, using gentle techniques that cooperate with the body’s innate wisdom and capacity to heal. Because the laws of living systems are expressed throughout the natural world, osteopathic physicians learn by observing and experiencing nature.
