What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathic Education and Philosophy

Osteopathic physicians (DOs) receive the same rigorous medical education and licensing as allopathic physicians (MDs), including four years of medical school, national board examinations, hospital training, and full medical licensure. In addition, DOs complete hundreds of extra hours studying the musculoskeletal system, neurophysiology, and hands-on diagnosis and treatment through Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). This training equips them to recognize how structure and function are interrelated and to use the body’s inherent capacity for self-healing as a cornerstone of care.

A Whole-Person Approach to Medicine

Osteopathy, including Cranial Osteopathy, is a complete system of medical care founded on the principle that the body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism. Rather than simply treating symptoms, osteopathic medicine seeks to understand and address the underlying causes of dysfunction, considering the interconnection of body, mind, and spirit.
Osteopathic physicians use their hands to palpate (“listen” through touch), and treat the body’s living anatomy: the motion of tissues, fluid dynamics, nervous system tone, and balance of structure.

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM / OMT)

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is a hands-on, non-invasive approach that helps restore balance and proper motion to areas restricted by injury, illness, or life’s accumulated stressors. By improving alignment, circulation, lymphatic flow, and nervous system function, OMM supports the body’s innate healing response.
Techniques range from subtle cranial and biodynamic principles, visceral methods, to direct joint and soft tissue mobilization. Each treatment is individualized, reflecting the unique needs and rhythms of the person being cared for.