Osteopaths

In the United States, a DO is a physician with the same license as an MD. Check the physician license, ask whether hands-on treatment costs extra, and confirm your plan's coverage.

Credentials and how to verify them

New York defines the practice of medicine as diagnosing, treating, operating or prescribing for any disease (Education Law §6521), and it licenses DOs and MDs under the same physician license requirements (§6524). Anyone using the title DO or osteopathic physician in New York should appear in the NYSED physician lookup. Outside the US, "osteopath" often means a non-physician manual therapist, so check which kind you are booking.

What it costs

We found no New York City DO practice that publishes a fee for osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). When you call, ask whether the practice takes your insurance, what the visit costs if it doesn't, and whether hands-on treatment is charged on top of the office visit.

Insurance, Medicare and HSA

• Private insurance: DOs bill as physicians. What you pay depends on your plan and whether the DO is in network.
• Medicare: Medicare covers DOs as physicians (42 U.S.C. 1395x).
• HSA and FSA: IRS Publication 502 lists fees paid to an osteopath for medical care, so HSA and FSA funds can usually pay for visits.

If you want hands-on care for back or joint pain from a non-physician, compare chiropractors and physical therapists.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

Osteopathic medicine is a distinct branch of conventional medicine founded in 1874 by American physician Andrew Taylor Still. Dr. Still believed that the body's structure and function are deeply interdependent — and that optimal health depends on the musculoskeletal system functioning freely and without restriction. He developed a hands-on system of diagnosis and treatment called osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and founded the first college of osteopathic medicine in Kirksville, Missouri in 1892.

In the United States today, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) are fully licensed physicians who attend accredited osteopathic medical schools, complete a residency of three to seven years depending on specialty, and hold the same legal scope of practice as MDs — including the ability to prescribe medications, perform surgery, and practice in any specialty (AACOM, 2020). What differentiates them is their additional training in osteopathic philosophy and OMM (about 200 extra hours of instruction, according to AACOM), and a formal commitment to viewing patients as integrated wholes rather than collections of symptoms.

DOs make up roughly 11–14% of US physicians, and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) counts about 167,000 DOs. Osteopathic physicians are represented across all specialties — family medicine, orthopedics, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and surgery.

The Four Tenets of Osteopathic Medicine

1. The body is a unit: The person is a whole — body, mind, and spirit are inseparable.
2. Structure and function are interrelated: The body's structure determines how it functions, and vice versa.
3. The body is self-healing: The body possesses inherent mechanisms of defense and self-repair when given the right conditions.
4. Rational treatment is based on these principles: Understanding and applying these principles guides clinical decision-making.

The International Context

Outside the United States (particularly in the UK, Australia, and Europe), the term "osteopath" typically refers to a non-physician manual therapy specialist who completes a 4–5 year osteopathic degree program. These practitioners do not hold prescribing authority or a full medical scope of practice — their training is focused on structural assessment and hands-on manipulation. This is an important distinction: always clarify which type of osteopathic practitioner you are considering.

Osteopathic medicine works through a combination of conventional medical care and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) — applied according to the physician's assessment of the patient's structural and functional needs.

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)

OMT is the hands-on component of osteopathic care — a set of techniques applied to diagnose and treat structural and functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Unlike chiropractic adjustment (which focuses on spinal joint manipulation), OMT encompasses a broader range of techniques applied to muscles, fascia, joints, and soft tissue throughout the entire body.

OMT Techniques

Mechanisms of Effect

These are proposed mechanisms; none is established.

• Restored joint mobility: OMT restores normal range of motion to restricted joints, reducing pain and improving function.
• Myofascial normalization: Sustained pressure on fascial restrictions releases chronic tension patterns affecting posture and movement.
• Neurological modulation: OMT stimulates mechanoreceptors that modulate pain signals and restore normal neuromuscular signaling.
• Circulation and lymphatics: Specific OMT techniques aim to promote blood and lymphatic flow.
• Autonomic regulation: Visceral and craniosacral OMT techniques influence the autonomic nervous system, with applications beyond the musculoskeletal system.

Key Insight: In our experience, many DOs in the US practice as primary care physicians without routinely using OMT — their osteopathic philosophy shapes their clinical thinking, but their day-to-day practice looks similar to conventional primary care. If hands-on osteopathic treatment is what you're specifically seeking, look for a DO who explicitly specializes in OMM (osteopathic manipulative medicine) — often board-certified through the American Osteopathic Board of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (AOBNMM).

OMT has its strongest evidence base in musculoskeletal conditions, but osteopathic physicians' full medical scope means they address the entire range of health conditions.

Back and Spine Conditions

• Back Pain — OMT has evidence for acute and chronic low back pain, comparable to other forms of spinal manipulation. A 2014 meta-analysis in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders found OMT significantly reduced low back pain and improved function (Franke et al.).
• Chronic Pain — Multimodal osteopathic care combining OMT, medication management, and lifestyle medicine.

Head, Neck, and Neurological

• Migraines — Some DOs use cervical OMT and craniosacral techniques for migraine; ask what evidence supports them for your case.
• Tension headaches — Soft tissue OMT targeting suboccipital muscles and cervical spine is commonly used.

Hormonal and Systemic

• Hormonal Imbalance — DOs practicing integrative or functional medicine approaches address hormonal health as primary care physicians.
• Insomnia — As physicians, DOs can provide conventional sleep medicine care.

Pregnancy and Pediatrics

• Prenatal OMT is used for back pain, pelvic pain, and structural changes of pregnancy.
• Pediatric OMT is used for birth-related structural strains, colic, torticollis, and developmental concerns.

Sports and Injury

• Sports injuries, overuse syndromes, postural dysfunction, and return-to-performance optimization are well within the scope of OMM specialists and sports medicine DOs.

Before You Arrive

• Wear comfortable, loose clothing that allows access to your spine and limbs
• Bring a list of current medications, supplements, and any relevant imaging (X-rays, MRI)
• Think through your full symptom history — including when symptoms began, what makes them better or worse, and any prior treatments

The Initial Assessment

Your DO will begin with a thorough health history covering your chief complaint and relevant medical background. This is followed by a postural assessment, range of motion evaluation, and osteopathic structural examination — a hands-on assessment of the entire body to identify areas of somatic dysfunction (restricted, tender, or asymmetrical tissue).

Unlike a chiropractic assessment, which focuses primarily on the spine, an osteopathic structural exam evaluates the whole body as an interconnected system — including the pelvis, ribcage, cranium, and soft tissues.

Treatment

OMT is performed with you lying on a treatment table, fully clothed (for most techniques). Your DO will apply a series of techniques matched to their structural findings and your comfort level. Sessions typically run 30–60 minutes for OMM-focused visits. You may feel gentle pressure, warmth, or a subtle shift during treatment. Some people feel sore for a day or two afterward, particularly after HVLA techniques.

What Most People Miss: An osteopathic structural examination often finds the source of pain at a different location than the pain itself. Low back pain may stem from pelvic asymmetry; headaches may originate from thoracic restrictions.

In the United States

Verify any US DO's license through your state medical board. For OMM-focused care, look for AOBNMM board certification or a physician who explicitly lists OMM as their primary practice focus.

Outside the United States

In the UK, Australia, and Europe, osteopaths are regulated manual therapy practitioners — not physicians. In the UK, osteopaths are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and must hold a recognized osteopathic degree (BSc or MOst). In Australia, osteopaths are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Always verify registration with the relevant regulatory body.

Questions to Ask

• Are you a DO (physician) or a non-physician osteopath?
• Do you routinely use OMT in your practice?
• Are you board-certified in neuromusculoskeletal medicine (AOBNMM)?
• What OMT techniques do you primarily use?
• Do you have experience treating my specific condition?

Find a qualified osteopathic practitioner near you: Browse our osteopathy directory to connect with practitioners in your area.

• Chiropractic Care — Shares spinal manipulation techniques with osteopathy; DCs focus more exclusively on the spine.
• Physical Therapy — Complementary rehabilitation focus; often works alongside osteopathic care for injury recovery.
• Pain Management — Osteopathic manipulative treatment is a core non-pharmacological pain tool.
• Sports Medicine and Recovery — Sports medicine DOs provide both manipulative and conventional medical care for athletes.
• Prenatal and Postnatal Care — Prenatal OMT is used for structural discomfort during pregnancy.
• Integrative Medicine — Some DOs practice integrative medicine, combining OMT with nutrition, lifestyle, and complementary therapies.