Understanding Osteopathic Medicine: More Than Just Manipulation

When people hear "osteopathic medicine," they often think it means massage or chiropractic care. It's neither — though it does involve hands-on treatment. Understanding what osteopathic medicine actually is can help you make a more informed decision about the kind of care you want for your family.

DOs and MDs: same license, different philosophy

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) complete the same rigorous medical school curriculum as MDs — anatomy, pharmacology, clinical rotations, board exams, and residency training. They can prescribe medications, perform surgery, and practice in any medical specialty. In the United States, they hold the same full medical license as MDs.

What's different is the additional 200+ hours of training in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) — a hands-on diagnostic and treatment approach built around the relationship between the body's structure and its function.

The foundational principles

Osteopathic medicine rests on four core principles:

1. The body is a unit. Mind, body, and spirit are interconnected — treating one in isolation misses the whole picture.
2. Structure and function are interrelated. The way your body is organized affects how it works. Fix the structure, and function follows.
3. The body has self-healing mechanisms. Given the right conditions, your body has a remarkable ability to heal itself. A DO's role is to support that process.
4. Treatment must consider all factors. Social, emotional, nutritional, and environmental factors all matter.

What is Osteopathic Manual Therapy (OMT)?

OMT is the hands-on component of osteopathic practice. Dr. Burns uses her hands to assess and treat restrictions in muscles, joints, fascia, and connective tissue. These techniques range from very gentle — barely perceptible rhythmic movements — to more active joint mobilization, depending on what the patient needs.

Dr. Burns has a particular focus on fascia (the connective tissue web that envelops every muscle, organ, and structure in the body), energy rhythms (craniosacral work), and ligament/tendon health. Restrictions in any of these areas can have far-reaching effects on pain, movement, and overall health.

How does OMT integrate with conventional medicine?

For Dr. Burns, OMT isn't separate from medicine — it's integrated into it. A patient coming in for chronic low back pain might receive a physical assessment, lab work, lifestyle recommendations, AND OMT in the same visit. The hands-on work doesn't replace conventional diagnosis and treatment; it complements it.

Studies show OMT reduces pain, improves mobility, enhances recovery, and reduces medication use across a wide range of conditions. It's not alternative medicine — it's evidence-informed medicine with an additional tool in the toolkit.