It’s no secret that a primary care physician is more than just a doctor. Your PCP is there to help you reach your health goals and improve your lifestyle. It’s for this reason that many people choose a DO for their primary care physician. DO stands for doctor of osteopathic medicine.
Both an osteopathic doctor and a doctor of medicine are accredited doctors that can practice medical care, but an osteopathic doctor approaches medical treatment with more of a holistic approach. To give you a better idea of what you can expect during your first appointment with your osteopathic doctor, here are three things you can look forward to.
Getting to know you and your lifestyle
Because an osteopathic doctor offers a more holistic approach to medicine, you may notice that they’ll get to know you more during your visit. This is because a DO recognizes that health problems can be caused by a number of things including your family history, lifestyle, and more. For instance, if you’re experiencing lower back pain, your DO may not only provide ways to treat your lower back pain but will also look at what in your everyday life may be causing that pain to begin with.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment
Your DO may also use osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) during your visits. OMT is a hands-on method used for diagnosing and treating conditions such as migraines, carpal tunnel, and muscle pain. It can also be used to help prevent certain conditions as well. Your DO uses OMT to gently move the muscles and joints to reduce tension and improve flexibility.
Helping you make decisions for your future
A major part of osteopathic medicine is prevention. By making better health choices and improving your lifestyle according to your unique needs, you can reduce your risk of developing certain conditions later down the road. Your DO may provide you with advice to prevent disease or injuries in the future. For instance, one in every five adults in the U.S. suffers from carpal tunnel. If you’re a digital artist and work on the computer or tablet for long hours, your DO may show you wrist stretches and techniques to help prevent carpal or cubital tunnel before it can make an appearance.
If you’re looking for an osteopathic doctor residents can rely on for quality care, check out your local clinic near you.