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Just found thisexplanation on a different site:=0A=0AOSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE= :=0A=0ATHE TOTAL APPROACH TO HEALTH =0A=0ABy Wesley Beth Reiss, D.O.=0A= =0A=0AMore and more people are seeking alternatives to conventional medic= al =0Apractices, yet few are aware of the science of Osteopathy. Osteopat= hic =0AMedicine is a truly wholistic approach to healing, unique in its a= bility =0Ato bridge conventional medicine with alternative modalities.=0A= =0ADoctors of Osteopathic Medicine (Dos) are fully trained, fully license= d =0Aphysicians. They look at the whole person, focusing on health, rathe= r =0Athan disease. They stress that the human body has a tremendous capac= ity =0Ato maintain and heal itself, but sometimes needs help to achieve = =0Aharmony. Dos are able to integrate manual treatments into a overall = =0Apractice of medicine which only a fully trained physician is qualified= =0Ato provide.=0A=0ALong before the term =93wholistic medicine=94 became= fashionable, =0Aosteopathic physicians were practicing a philosophy of m= edicine based on =0Aa view of the body as an interrelated whole, with eac= h system and organ =0Ain constant contact.=0A=0AOsteopathic medicine is a= unique form of American medical care that was =0Adeveloped in the 19th C= entury by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D. Dr. Still, a =0Afrontiersman, was the= son of Methodist minister who was also a country =0Adoctor. From an earl= y age, Dr. Still was exposed to illness and aware of =0Athe lack of knowl= edge of the cause and treatment of diseases which were =0Aoften devastati= ng. He recognizes the tragic toll of such ignorance, =0Aculminating in th= e death of three of his own children during the =0Aepidemic in 1864 of wh= at is now identified as viral meningitis. Dr. =0AStill=92s loss, in conju= nction with his lifelong study of nature and =0Adissatisfaction with the = effectiveness of the medicine of his day, sent =0Ahim on a personal and p= rofessional search for better way. In 1874, Dr. =0AStill, in his words, = =93flung to the breeze the banner of Osteopathy.=94=0A=0AHe called his ne= w system of medicine =93Osteopathy=94 because it was based =0Aon anatomy.= Osteopathic medicine focuses on the patient as a whole, =0Aunique indivi= dual, considering all aspects of life including diet, =0Aexercise, physic= al and emotional stresses, genetic, environmental and =0Aoccupational fac= tors.=0A=0AIn diagnosing and treating their patients, Osteopathic physici= ans are =0Aguided by generally accepted principles. The first is that the= human =0Abody is a unit, it is integrated organism in which no part func= tions =0Aindependently. The second principle states that the body, throug= h a =0Acomplex system of checks and balances, tends to be self-regulating= and =0Aself-healing in the face of stress and disease. The third princip= le =0Astates that adequate function of all body organs and systems depend= s on =0Athe integrating forces of the nervous and circulatory systems.=0A= =0AThe fundamental contribution of the osteopathic profession is the =0Ar= ecognition that the body=92s musculoskeletal system (bones, tendons, =0Al= igaments and connective tissue), which makes up about two-thirds of the = =0Abody=92s mass, plays an important role in the body=92s continuous effo= rt to =0Aresist and overcome illness and disease. Osteopathic physicians,= in =0Aaddition to using all standard methods of diagnosis and therapy, u= se a =0Asystem of manual techniques to diagnose areas of structural dysfu= nction =0Aand to assist the body in receiving normal motion and balance i= n all its =0Atissues and fluids. Rather than merely treating specific sym= ptoms, DOs =0Aare more concerned with determining what is causing an imba= lance and =0Awhy. It is their belief that once the underlying causes have= beendia=0Agnosed and treated, the body is then free to repair itself or = to respond =0Ato other appropriate therapies. =0A=0AIn summary, the scien= ce of osteopathy states that the body, if =0Aadequately nourished, can fu= nction to maintain, repair and heal itself =0Aif the various parts of the= body are in correct relationship to one =0Aanother and are free to move = within the normal range. It must be =0Aemphasized that Doctors of Osteopa= thic medicine are physicians, licensed =0Ato practice all phases of medic= ine in all 50 states. Osteopaths have the =0Asame training as MDs and mus= t pass the same licensing examination. Like =0AMDs, osteopaths diagnose d= iseases, prescribe drugs, refer patients to =0Ahospitals and perform surg= ery. DOs are also represented in all of the =0Apractice specialities. The= difference between MDs and DOs rests in the =0Afocus of their medical tr= aining and treatment. In addition to the =0Astandard medical school curri= culum, osteopathic medicine emphasizes the =0Arelationship between the mu= sculoskeletal system and the maintenance of =0Ahealth. Consequently, DOs = receive 600 - 1,000 hours of extensive =0Atraining in the manipulation of= spine, joints, fascia and muscles. The =0Ainclusion of osteopathic manip= ulation within a modern medical setting =0Aenables osteopathic medicine t= o be truly =93wholastic=94.=0A=0A=93To find health should be the object o= f the doctor. Anyone can find =0Adisease,=94 Dr. A.T. Still declared. Tho= se privileged to follow in Dr. =0AStill=92s footsteps appreciate the cent= ral experience of osteopathy as he =0Aknew and practiced it: The direct i= ntimate experience by the physician =0Aof the force of life and its manif= estations in the patient. Approaching =0Agently and quietly, poised not t= o control, but to assist, the =0Aosteopathic physician seeks to help the = patient to manifest his or her =0Afullest potential for health. =0A=0ADr.= Wesley Reiss, D.O. is a Board Certified Family Physician and former =0AE= mergency Department Medical Director. She now practices family medicine = =0Ain Plainview, Long Island, specializing in the Osteopathic approach to= =0Ahealing.=0A=0AFor more information, or if your organization would lik= e to schedule a =0Apresentation on Osteopathic Medicine, please contact D= r. Reiss at =0A516-681-5458 or write to 1171 old Country Road, Plainview,= New York =0A11803.=0A=0AFor what it's worth...=0ABarb Brock=0Acg Art 56 = 1 year=0A=0A=0A=0A