What is the difference between a Chiropractor and an Osteopath?

Because both a Chiropractor and an Osteopath work with a patient’s entire body, many people get the two confused. 

The truth is that, while Chiropractic and Osteopathy are similar, they are independent schools of thought and their approach to patient treatment is different. This article will illustrate the differences between a Chiropractor and an Osteopath.

What is a Chiropractor?

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).

What is an Osteopath?

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.

Both Chiropractors and Osteopaths use treatments that involve the moving of a person’s body outside its usual range of motion. A Chiropractor will do this by swiftly moving a joint out of its usual range of motion and putting it back in its starting position. An Osteopath will usually employ a more gentle technique that stretches the muscles surrounding a joint in ways that they are not used to stretching.

Both Chiropractors and Osteopaths use physical movements to treat pain and injuries. A Chiropractor will move the patient during a visit, placing his or her limbs in various positions in an effort to decrease joint and muscle pain. An Osteopath will teach a variety of poses to a patient so that he or she can continue with the therapy at home.

Chiropractic therapy is actually derived from Osteopathy

Osteopathy was invented by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1872 and Chiropractic care was invented by Daniel David Palmer, a student of Dr. Still in 1895.

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 respiratory problems, digestive problems or any other number of problems that might not seem related to the spine or joints.

Both Chiropractors and Osteopaths will give you excellent care.

Dominick Hussey

Ottawa Osteopath