Osteopaths and Chiropractors both work with their
patients' entire bodies and because of this many people mix up the two
professions. While Osteopathy and Chiropractics seem similar on the
surface, the two are very different schools of thought and the approach
each profession takes to pain management and treatment is different.
Here are some of the differences between an Osteopath and a
Chiropractor.
A Chiropractor is a person who is interested in how a person's body
works, but views the workings of a body primarily through the spinal
and muscular systems. Usually a Chiropractor focuses on pain relief and
injury recovery. He or she will use spine and joint adjustments,
massage, electrical stimulation and rehabilitative exercise to help a
patient heal as well as working with the patient in other areas of his
life (primarily diet and exercise programs).
Osteopaths work with a patient's whole body, not just the spinal system
and joints. An osteopath will conduct a thorough exam of a patient's
entire body to diagnose the patient's problem. He is usually contacted
in a patient's effort to reduce pain or heal from an injury, but he
helps patients with a variety of other problems as well. His methods of
treatment involve physical therapy, adjustments to the body and massage.
Chiropractors and Osteopaths employ therapy that involves a patient
moving his body in ways that he is not used to moving. Chiropractors
accomplish this by moving the patient themselves, with swift "cracking"
motion. Osteopaths' therapy is gentler, using a smooth technique to
stretch the muscles of a patient to increase their range of motion.
Another major difference between Chiropractors and Osteopaths is the
way that they get their patients to move. Chiropractors move the
patients themselves. Osteopaths teach their patients how to move and
stretch so that they can incorporate their rehabilitation routine at
home.
One of the reasons that people get chiropractics and osteopathy
confused is that Chiropractics is a derivative form of osteopathy. The
person who invented chiropractics (Daniel David Palmer) studied under
the person who invented osteopathy (Dr. Andrew Taylor Still).
The major difference between an Osteopath and a Chiropractor is that
while the Chiropractor is primarily focused on the spine and joints
(and the muscles too"to a point), an Osteopath is also concerned with
the rest of the body. He or she might treat patients with respitory
problems, digestive problems or any other number of problems that might
not seem related to the spine or joints.
Both Chiropractors and Osteopaths will give you excellent care.
Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-difference-between
-chiropractors-and-osteopaths-769078.html About the Author
Andrew Mitchell, clinical director of the Osteopath
Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions and Manchester
Osteopath. The Osteopath Network has over 550 clinics located
all over the UK and offers treatment at weekends and after hours. |
