A Chiropractor and an Osteopath both work with a patient's whole body and it is because they are both considered holistic healers that people tend to get the two professionals confused. On their surfaces chiropractics and osteopathy look almost the same but in reality the two schools of thought are unique and their approach to patient care and therapy is very different. Keep reading to learn what the major differences are between Osteopaths and Chiropractors are.
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).
An Osteopath is a person who is interested in a person's entire body. An Osteopath does not focus only on the muscular and spinal system. He or she will examine a person's entire body to determine the root of the patient's problem. The osteopath is usually visited in a patient's effort to combat pain or injury, but osteopaths have been known to treat other problems as well. Treatment from an osteopath can involve massage, physical therapy and body adjustments.
Chiropractors and Osteopaths both incorporate therapy techniques that involve pushing a patient's body beyond its usual range of motion. A Chiropractor does this by quickly and forcefully moving a joint out of place and then putting it back in the starting position. Osteopaths use a gentler approach that incorporates stretching both the injured area and the muscles that surround it.
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.
The truth is that Chiropractics is a derivative of Osteopathy. The man who invented Chiropractics was a student of the inventor of Osteopathy for a short time in the late nineteenth century.
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.
The main point to remember is that, no matter which professional gets chosen, excellent care will be given.
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).
An Osteopath is a person who is interested in a person's entire body. An Osteopath does not focus only on the muscular and spinal system. He or she will examine a person's entire body to determine the root of the patient's problem. The osteopath is usually visited in a patient's effort to combat pain or injury, but osteopaths have been known to treat other problems as well. Treatment from an osteopath can involve massage, physical therapy and body adjustments.
Chiropractors and Osteopaths both incorporate therapy techniques that involve pushing a patient's body beyond its usual range of motion. A Chiropractor does this by quickly and forcefully moving a joint out of place and then putting it back in the starting position. Osteopaths use a gentler approach that incorporates stretching both the injured area and the muscles that surround it.
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.
The truth is that Chiropractics is a derivative of Osteopathy. The man who invented Chiropractics was a student of the inventor of Osteopathy for a short time in the late nineteenth century.
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.
The main point to remember is that, no matter which professional gets chosen, excellent care will be given.
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.
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