Philosophy of osteopathic medicine

Osteopathic medicine is not merely a combination of traditional Western medicine and osteopathic manipulations. Rather, the principles and philosophy of osteopathic medicine apply not only to manipulative treatment but also to complete health care of the individual. This includes surgery, obstetrics, emergency medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, and any other areas of care traditionally associated with conventional Western medicine. In fact, osteopathic principles and philosophy permeate all aspects of health maintenance and disease prevention and treatment. 

Osteopathic medicine is not considered alternative health care, as this form of medicine has a 125-year history. It is recognized as a complete system of medical care founded on the philosophy of treating the whole patient—the body and the mind. The predominance of the musculoskeletal system within osteopathic medicine is also fundamental to chiropractic medicine, which is considered a separate but related health discipline. 

Part of the original resistance to the establishment of the first school was the impression that the treatment provided by the "Old Doctor" was peculiar to him. His continued success became the magnet that drew patients and students to him. It is no wonder that the latter attempted to emulate him. Once the school was established, he had felt disappointment with some of his early students. He called them "engine wipers" because they could clean the surface problems without truly understanding the inner workings of the human machine. It was important to Dr. Shh that those who prachced osteopathic medicine develop treatments for the individual. However, it is not truly accurate to say that he never showed a technique or wrote down a description. He buried his descriptions in what he considered the more important components, the philosophy and principles of his new science. Some maneuvers are embedded in Osteopathy Research and Practice and The Philosophy and Mechanical Principles of Osteopathy. He also, obviously, could not keep his foUowers from observing some of the methods that he did use, especially when they would see him repeat them. 

Osteopathy is a focused health care philosophy that emphasizes the musculoskeletal system of the human body and its relationship to the body s organs. Osteopaths strive to treat not just the disease but the whole person. Osteopaths practice medicine using the body s own healing power. 

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