advantages of osteopathic medicine
Unfortunately, osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and its role in the treatment of pain is widely misunderstood and underutilized. The major purpose of this article is to discuss the philosophy of osteopathic medicine (of which OMM is but one component) to provide a better understanding of its role in the treatment of pain. By the middle of the 20th century, osteopathic medicine was more widely recognized in the mainstream and doctors gradually gained full practicing rights in all 50 states. The training is very similar to allopathic doctors – 4 years of medical school and a residency afterwards. And, osteopathic medicine is rapidly growing as 1 out of every 5 doctors graduating from medical school in the United States is an osteopathic physician. At that time, he explained to me the differences between allopathic medical doctors and osteopathic medical doctors, but it wasn’t until I experienced care under an osteopathic physician that I truly understood the benefits of osteopathic medicine. Osteopathic medicine is one of two fully licensed comprehensive systems of medical care in the United States. Osteopathic medicine emphasizes the relationship between all organ systems of the body, including the musculoskeletal system (your bones and muscles) and the function of your entire body. Osteopathic medicine is one of two fully licensed comprehensive systems of medical care in the United States. Advancing the distinctive philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine. Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment. Nearly every day, medical science unveils new discoveries from brain scans to anti-cancer drugs. In the midst of these wonders, it's easy to forget that sometimes what patients really need is a healing touch. Osteopathic physicians haven't forgotten. Osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT, is hands-on care. Osteopathic medicine emphasizes the relationship between all organ systems of the body, including the musculoskeletal system (your bones and muscles) and the function of your entire body. Osteopathic physicians are licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery. Osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest growing health professions in the United States, including more than 60,000 osteopathic physicians. In spite of this, public awareness, perceptions,4,5 and understanding of this profession within the allopathic medical community still remains poor. They commonly look at osteopathic medicine as a “second-tier profession,” “not real doctors,” or as being chiropractors. Quite to the contrary, osteopathic medicine is a complete system of medicine that utilizes all available modalities of diagnosis and treatment. Pros of Studying Osteopathic Medicine. Osteopathic students have two advantages over traditional medical students. The first advantage is that DO students learn osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). OMT is a type of manual treatment that fixes patients’ disease by fixing their muscles and bones (musculoskeletal system). What is Osteopathic Medicine? Osteopathic medicine is a distinct form of 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.
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.