DO myths

[jkhamlin]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Everyone is familiar with several of the more popular myths about DO's. I am sure some are popping into your head right now. They all have historical explanations and can be reasonably explained. Occasionally in conversation about Osteopathic Medicine I encounter 2 myths about DO's, and these myths are so contrary to fact and reason that I honestly haven't got the slightest idea where they came from or what they even mean. I have searched all over and cannot find an answer to this, so maybe someone here knows. I have even encountered these with other health care professionals! 😕 OK, maybe that's not surprising. 😀
Anyway, here they are (usually chanted by the ignorant as though they were hypnotized):

#1. DO's prescribe more medicine.

#2. DO's don't do surgery.

 

[Shinken]

#3. DO's can't specialize.

#4. DO's are better in bed (OK...this one's not a myth)

 

[jkhamlin]

#3. DO's can't specialize.

#4. DO's are better in bed (OK...this one's not a myth)

#3: I'm sure that came from the Osteopathic primary care emphasis.

#4: I wouldn't know, but when I am a DO...

 

[docbill]

#3: I'm sure that came from the Osteopathic primary care emphasis.

#4: I wouldn't know, but when I am a DO...

#4: Is false... we did a study. And even though DOs use OMT as their position guide, there is no significant difference. However DOs are handy when there is lots of tension involved, and can use OMT as foreplay and after play.

 

[DORoe]

#4: Is false... we did a study. And even though DOs use OMT as their position guide, there is no significant difference. However DOs are handy when there is lots of tension involved, and can use OMT as foreplay and after play.

#4 is actually true. You will learn the true meaning of DO when you get to school.

DO= Dispensing orgasms (quote from VentdependenT)

 

[allendo]

I know my wife loves the intense hands on therapy sessions!!!!!!!! 😍

 

[jkhamlin]

So... I guess no one here knows?

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Everyone is familiar with several of the more popular myths about DO's. I am sure some are popping into your head right now. They all have historical explanations and can be reasonably explained. Occasionally in conversation about Osteopathic Medicine I encounter 2 myths about DO's, and these myths are so contrary to fact and reason that I honestly haven't got the slightest idea where they came from or what they even mean. I have searched all over and cannot find an answer to this, so maybe someone here knows. I have even encountered these with other health care professionals! 😕 OK, maybe that's not surprising. 😀
Anyway, here they are (usually chanted by the ignorant as though they were hypnotized):

#1. DO's prescribe more medicine.

#2. DO's don't do surgery.

#2 is discussed in Norman Gevitz's the D.O.'s

I still haven't finished the book. But anyway, the gist of it is that there was a debate between "lesion osteopaths" who were against surgery and obstetrics and "broad osteopaths" who argued for the use of surgery to be complete physicians. As time went by, the broad osteopaths were successful in championing the use of surgery and obstetrics (obviously 😀 ). Gevitz's book is pretty interesting (from the parts I've read) and you'll probably want to give it a read, so that's all I'll say about the surgery myth.

#1 I'm not quite sure. My *guess* would be that the myth is predicated on the fact that osteopaths were less inclined to do invasive methods (like surgery that you mentioned in #2) in osteopathy's early stages. And if they weren't doing invasive methods, they may have prescribed more in the early stages of osteopathy.

 

[jkhamlin]

#2 is discussed in Norman Gevitz's the D.O.'s

I still haven't finished the book. But anyway, the gist of it is that there was a debate between "lesion osteopaths" who were against surgery and obstetrics and "broad osteopaths" who argued for the use of surgery to be complete physicians. As time went by, the broad osteopaths were successful in championing the use of surgery and obstetrics (obviously 😀 ). Gevitz's book is pretty interesting (from the parts I've read) and you'll probably want to give it a read, so that's all I'll say about the surgery myth.

#1 I'm not quite sure. My *guess* would be that the myth is predicated on the fact that osteopaths were less inclined to do invasive methods (like surgery that you mentioned in #2) in osteopathy's early stages. And if they weren't doing invasive methods, they may have prescribed more in the early stages of osteopathy.

Thanks for the response. I have read Andrew Taylor Still, 1828-1917 which gives a good early history of Osteopathy, but I have never read The D.O.'s. I'll have to do that when I have time (like between semesters when I am not trying to read 40 pounds worth of micro, developmental bio, ecology, and biometry 😀 ).

 

[Truce57]

#2 is discussed in Norman Gevitz's the D.O.'s

#1 I'm not quite sure.

#1 actually doesn't make any sense, since Gevitz's book clearly points out that osteopathy (now osteopathic medicine) was founded on the very notion of NOT giving medicine EVER. Only as it evolved into a more mainstream movement, with the addition of surgery within its practice, for example, were medications permitted as well.

The mystery remains...

 

[Shinken]

#1 actually doesn't make any sense, since Gevitz's book clearly points out that osteopathy (now osteopathic medicine) was founded on the very notion of NOT giving medicine EVER. Only as it evolved into a more mainstream movement, with the addition of surgery within its practice, for example, were medications permitted as well.

The mystery remains...

Actually, I remember reading somewhere about a study (whether it was a "real" study or not I don't know) that compared prescription habits of MDs and DOs and the results were that DOs prescribe more drugs than their MD counterparts. I'm too busy to do a search about it, but there were other threads here in SDN discussing that very study.

 

[Coolmullis]

I believe #1-3 are false. However, #4 is a myth I can personally agree with. 😀

Myth #5

The myth that Andrew Taylor Still, M.D. & D.O., could shake a child to rid of specific diseases.

Believe it-or-not 😕

 

[richarDsOn]

...hmmm, wonder how that works...

still thinking about a physiological explanation to go with myth #5.