Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment-Some common questions by patients

Source: www.healthywomen.org/content. cfm?L1=3&L2=102&L3=6.0000

My doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) didn't perform osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on me. Why?

DOs will select the best therapy or other modalities that are necessary for the treatment of the patient as a whole. Not all conditions or each visit will require OMT. Remember, DOs are indistinguishable from medical doctors (MD) and thus utilize the standards of treatment, but are afforded an extra modality of OMT when appropriate.

I had a few sessions of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and I don't feel any better.

Manipulation takes time as well as your participation in maintaining your treatment by making postural changes and other life style changes in order for your condition to improve. Talk to your DO about other approaches to maintaining your treatment.

How does osteopathic medicine differ from chiropractics?

The most obvious distinction is that chiropractors are not the legal equivalents of MDs—they can't prescribe medication or perform surgery. Although both DOs and chiropractors practice manipulation and share a philosophy that good health is tied to the body's structure, chiropractors focus almost exclusively on realigning the bones and joints. DOs also practice traditional medicine and can treat a range of conditions with an array of tools.

A friend of mine had craniosacral therapy. Is that the same thing as cranial osteopathic medicine?

No. Cranial sacral osteopathic medicine is practiced by trained DOs (and some MDs); it involves gentle pressure to your head in a directed manner to obtain desired results. Craniosacral therapy is usually practiced by physical therapists, massage therapists or other alternative health professionals who never attended medical school. It may have its benefits, but it has its limitations in that it is not the complete treatment of the cranial sacral regions of the body. Be sure to talk to your health care professional before pursuing it.