What is osteopathy used for?
Like medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy may serve as primary care providers. DOs can prescribe medicines, order medical tests such as X-rays, and do surgery. DOs often provide treatment in a hospital. More than half of all osteopathic doctors practice in primary care areas, such as with children (pediatrics), pregnant women (obstetrics), women’s health (gynecology), or general adult health (internal medicine). Some osteopathic doctors use hands-on manipulation of bones and muscles, or osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), is still found in their training and practice of some osteopathic physicians. OMT allows osteopathic doctors to use their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to promote healing. Is osteopathy safe? Osteopathic medicine is a safe, established practice of medicine. Like MDs, DOs must pass a state medical board examination to obtain a license in order to enter practice. Each state board sets its own requirements and then issues the license for the osteopathi