Osteopathic Manipulation Therapy

[Scooby]

I'm a medical student at an allopathic medical school and am currently doing a rotation with an osteopathic medical student. While discussing a patient on our service, the osteopathic med student mentioned something about being able to relieve the patient's back pain without any type of interventions. This immediately caught my attention! The reason being is because I've been living with back for approximately ten to fifteen years, during which time I had been desperately searching for some kind of an answer (i.e. underlying pathology) to explain my ailment, however to no avail. Therefore, when the med student discussed his approach to evaluating and treating the all too common complaint of back pain, I was justifiably skeptical, at first. It was a bit too new for me. Yet that feeling of skepticism quickly disappeared with his explanation of the underlying problem and how, with his skills in osteopathic manipulation therapy, he could go about treating or correcting the dilemma. I brought up the fact that I've also been suffering back pain for years and asked if he could perhaps evaluate and maybe treat me, which he happily agreed to. Well, in about five minutes or so, I felt like a new person … no back pain! It was amazing. I felt as though the back pain would eventually revisit me, but it hasn't till this day. I can now get out of bed without crawling and the sheer pain that use to hamper my everyday, no longer exists.

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[melancholy]

Scooby,
Thank you very much for posting this experience of yours.. it is very encouraging! I'm currently a first year DO student hoping that I will become proficient enough in my OMT that I will be able to utilize it frequently in the future. I was wondering if your colleague had mentioned what sort of technique he/she used on your back... thanks!

 

[drchrislareau]

While many osteopaths may prefer to use HVLA, I like to use muscle energy, counterstrain and facilitated positional release. Other techniques that might be useful include cranial therapy and trigger point therapy.

 

[vietcongs]

? you are now a believer ?

 

[pushinepi2]

Scooby's post I think illustrates some of the better aspects of the medical profession. When physicians of both persuasions keep patient advocacy as their highest priority and endeavor to maintain an open mind, then everyone benefits. I hope OMT continues to withstand the storms of scepticism and the scrutiny of intensive research. Its curious that this divide betweeen "allopaths" and "osteopaths" persists. Its been my experience that most allopathic medical students and practicing physicians alike are open to most anything that is scientifically sound and of patient benefit. Why then should "allopaths" be denied the opportunity to learn valuable techniques? The profession of osteopathy can only benefit from further integration and cooperation. As mentioned in several other discussion forums, I feel that the MD/DO distinction becomes more blurred with each new generation of graduating physicians. One of our OMT docs put it best when he said that future docs, "must learn the medicine first and then pursue specialized manipulative therapy training." At Nova, the OMM faculty is excellent but the OPP courses themselves do not form the backbone of the DO curriculum. We take eight total credits of OMT. Students seriously interested in perfecting their palpatory diagnostic and manipulative skills can pursue a subsidized pre-graduate fellowship... Osteopathy continues to redifine itself, and I feel that the public's continued interest in holistic and alternative therapies will continue to break down the divide between osteopathy and allopathy.

PUSH