Osteopathic Medicine

 The practice of hands-on osteopathic medicine is an inherently green and a sustainable practice.  The footprint of the practice often only involves a table, a room, and an osteopath for the diagnosis and treatment of the individual patient.

Osteopaths (D.O.) trained in the U.S. are medical doctors, and complete 4 years of medical school, and then can choose to specialize in any field of medicine.  They also receive several extra hours in the principles and practice osteopathic medicine and training in hands-on manipulative treatment. 

 Osteopathic physicians are found in most medical specialties and are licensed by their state accordingly.  A majority of the osteopaths choose to specialize in primary care medicine, and within this group is a small subset, which practices hands-on treatment method called osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT. 

The osteopathic physician in this office, Dr. Runa Basu, specializes in cranial and biodynamic osteopathy.  The treatment involves the use of our trained “thinking fingers” to palpate and diagnose imbalances, treatment and correction of the imbalances, by supporting the health which is inherent in the tide of the fluid and subsequent tissue patterns.

We encourage nutrient dense nutrition, prescribe supplements, medication, homeopathy and movement as needed.

For more on osteopathic practices and principles please see our resources page.

 Recommendations for after your Osteopathic Treatment

Of all the definitions of osteopathy that I have been exposed to, this description submitted by my teacher, Dr. James Jealous, D. O., best resonates with my practice of understanding of osteopathy in my career.  He describes osteopathy as such:  

We use our hands……
to treat the whole patient
to listen to the indwelling movements of Life
to treat all levels of illness
to assist in building the patient’s functional reserve
to support homeostasis and trophicity by balancing the activity of the A.N.S.
to explore “laws not framed by human hands” (Dr. Still and Sutherland)
to cooperate and communicate with the Laws of Nature (Dr.Wales)
to find the Health (Dr.  Still)
to get to the treatment plan
to get to the diagnosis
to help establish a point of Rest or Neutral around which the Whole can come to balance
to find Cause

We believe……
that we have the innate capacity to heal
that the body functions as a whole
that the autonomic nervous system plays a major role in disease and healing
that structure and function are one form of activity
that the Divine is indwelling
that Life moves beyond death
that there is a Constant Movement towards Normal
that we are here to Serve Humanity

Normal is……
“a sense of peace and harmony” (Dr. Sutherland)
an ease of motion, without tension
being Neutral
Wholeness
the capacity for change

“Skill is proportionate to one’s understanding normal” (Dr. Still)