What is an Osteopathic Doctor & What Makes Us Different?
One of the first things you might notice when visiting my website is my title – Dr. Lydia Dennis, DO. But why DO? Why not MD? How are they different?
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) looks at the bigger picture. The body is a single unit full of many different parts—if one of those parts isn’t functioning properly, it can affect several different areas of the body. Healing the whole unit requires more than simply treating each malfunctioning area.
Instead of treating a symptom, a DO looks at the entire body in order to treat the source of the problem. We seek to achieve health in body, mind, and spirit.
According to the American Osteopathic Association, over 6,500 DOs graduated last year, which raises the total to 114,425 DOs in the U.S. If the numbers continue to rise, DOs will make up more than 20% of physicians in the next 10 years.
Osteopathic medicine originated in the 1800s due to the findings of Dr. Still. After three of his children died from spinal meningitis, he spent a decade researching better ways of treating diseases. His philosophy was that doctors should widen their focus, treating the whole body rather than any single problem.
In order to achieve his own philosophy, Still came up with a new approach: osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) — manual techniques that he hoped would help to correct the body’s musculoskeletal system.
Today, DOs have a variety of tools at our disposal that we use to treat our patients. This includes medication, supplements, hormone therapy, diets, surgeries, chiropractic care—even yoga!
So, what does this mean? Well, if you’ve ever been frustrated with your doctor (or doctors!) because all they seem to do is treat your symptoms or pass you off to a specialist, then seeing a DO might be the right step for you!
DOs are dedicated to healing the entire patient. God has made each of us unique, which means that treatment for one person might not be right for another. DOs are uniquely suited for finding the care that works for each individual, rather than for the majority.
In my New Patient forms, I ask questions about your lifestyle as well as your medical history to help me better understand your body and how it functions. The more I know, the easier it will be to diagnose and treat the problem. Each problem, each symptom, is a piece of a larger puzzle.
At my clinic, I help patients find their best selves, making sure they are healthy and happy. I can help with weight loss, family planning, chronic disease management, hormone replacement, and much more!