Osteopathy and Chiropractic
A question often asked is: What is the difference between an osteopath and a chiropractor? Or, what is the difference between osteopathy and chiropractic?
This is a heatedly debated topic and I shall endeavour to give you my thoughts on the subject speaking as an osteopath.
Both stem from a common origin of thought based on work by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still (osteopathy) and Daniel David Palmer (chiropractic) who met in the late 19th century.
Many of the treatment techniques have similarities, although generally osteopaths tend to use a wider variety of techniques and I would suggest are often more holistic in their approach taking into account the body as a whole and the interrelationship of its parts.
Chiropractors usually also rely on x-rays for diagnosis looking at alignment dysfunction. Osteopaths do not order x-rays unless they are clinically indicated.
It is believed that manipulation is used in 40% of osteopathic treatments compared to 85% of chiropractic.
Chiropractic treatments tend to be shorter in duration and often more frequent.