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Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment:
A Hands-On Treatment Tool

• Osteopathic manipulative treatment or OMT is a hands-on treatment tool utilized by osteopathic physicians.

• D.O.s use their hands/fingers to palpate your back and extremities. They also check your joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles for pain/restriction during motion, which could signal an injury or impairment.

• D.O.s use OMT to diagnose, treat and even prevent illness or injury.

• OMT can be used in conjunction with or even in place of medication or surgery.

• While OMT is commonly associated with physical ailments such as low back pain, it can also be used to relieve discomfort or musculoskeletal abnormality associated with a number of disorders including asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, menstrual pain, sinus disorders and headaches.

• A 1998 survey conducted by the National Research Corporation for the American Osteopathic Association found that 85 percent of the more than 500 osteopathic physicians surveyed use OMT in their practices.

• Also, according to this survey, family practice physicians were almost twice as likely as specialty physicians to use OMT and, those who do, use it on twice as may patients.