Osteopathic medicine is a distinct pathway to medical practice in the United States.

Osteopathic medicine provides all of the benefits of modern medicine including prescription drugs, surgery, and the use of technology to diagnose disease and evaluate injury. It also offers the added benefit of hands-on diagnosis and treatment through a system of treatment known as osteopathic manipulative medicine.

What is Osteopathic Medicine?

For Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or DOs, a whole-person approach includes partnering with patients, considering the connection of body, mind and spirit in delivering care, and recognizing the role of a physician’s hands to diagnose and treat illness or injury. Emphasis on prevention and wellness is central in a philosophy that promotes the body’s natural tendency toward health and self-healing.

Understanding Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT)

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a hands-on treatment method. OMT is sometimes called osteopathic manipulative therapy or osteopathic manipulation.