Osteopathic Medicine - What is Alternative Medicine?

Osteopathy, or “bone treatment,” was developed by a Civil War physician named Andrew Taylor Still, who became frustrated with the unpredictability and ignorance involved in prescribing the toxic medications commonly used in the late 1800s. He subsequently founded the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1892 after three of his children died of spinal meningitis, and he dedicated himself to find a way to enhance nature's own ability to heal.

As described by Weil in his book, Health and Healing, “Still gave up the use of drugs completely and, instead, tried to promote healing by manipulating bones to allow free circulation of blood and balanced functioning of nerves. The technique he developed was the same used by generations of children to crack their knuckles: placing tension on a joint until an audible click or pop results.” Still was able to find positions and motions to crack most of the larger joints of the body. He reportedly used his manipulations to treat cases including pneumonia, bacterial infections of the skin, typhoid fever, and diarrhea.

Osteopaths assume that the structure of organs, skeleton, and tissues directly affect the body's various functions. Thus the shape and position of the skeletal structure are central to maintaining optimal health. Osteopaths believe that the correction of posture problems, mobilization of joints, and alignment of the spine can improve health and aid in the healing of diseases.

Osteopathic medicine is very similar to chiropractic medicine with two important exceptions. First, chiropractors normally only adjust the spine, whereas osteopaths manipulate all joints, even the difficult immobile joints of the cranium. Osteopathic medicine also focuses more on the health of the arteries because osteopaths believe that when blood and lymphathics flow freely, the tissues are able to perform their physiological functions without restriction. When an individual suffers emotional or physical trauma, the tissues often contract and the fluid flow becomes obstructed. Osteopathic manipulation restores the fluid flow throughout the impaired tissues and regenerates the body's inherent healing powers.

Osteopathic manipulation has been used successfully to treat young children with impaired inherent physiologic motion disorders. It has also been used to treat patients suffering from low-back pain, particularly women experiencing menstrual cramping, as well as dysmenorrhea. Recently, osteopathic manipulation has been introduced in clinical trials to help patients recover from coronary bypass graft surgery. In an October 1989 article in INED, J. L. Dickey reports that patients undergoing osteopathic manipulative treatment often perceive a sense of deep relaxation, tingling, energy flows, and relief of pain.

According to Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide, metastudies have shown that osteopathy has provided aid for patients with spinal and joint conditions, arthritis, allergies, cardiac disease, breathing dysfunctions, chronic fatigue syndrome, hiatal hernias, high blood pressure, headaches, sciatica, and various neuritis (inflammation of nerves disorders).

Most osteopaths are primary care physicians, and practice holistic medicine, including diet and exercise. Like MDs, osteopaths (Doctors of Osteopathy or “Dos”) provide comprehensive medical care, including preventative medicine, diagnosis, surgery, prescription medications, and hospital referrals. DOs are licensed in all 50 states in the U.S.