Osteopath Vs Chiropractors

Osteopath 

Osteopathy as a form of healthcare that began in the 19th Century, centered on the work by Andrew Taylor Still. 

Osteopaths treat the joints and muscles of the whole body in a more ‘holistic’ approach. An Osteopath recognizes that everything in the body is connected, and thus delivers treatment to reduce tension in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints, through ‘hands-on’ techniques that promote greater fluid flow and joint function. 

Osteopathy is a ‘whole body’ treatment and can offer a wide range of Osteopathic treatment techniques to all ages and body types. Osteopaths aim to improve the body’s overall healing system. This way the patient’s entire body is positively affected.

Treatments include soft-tissue therapy; fascial release techniques; articulation; cranial therapy and joint manipulations.

Typically your Osteopathic consult will last a longer amount of time, where they will also try to understand your overall health and medical history alongside manual treatment and aftercare advice.

Chiropractor

Chiropractic treatment began back in 1895, with the work of Daniel David Palmer, who practiced using spinal adjustment treatments. 

The belief is that most dysfunction of the body is caused by interference of the messages coming through the nerve system.

Chiropractors aim to reduce pain quickly, stabilize joints, and maintain the patients’ health with regular check-ups. Chiropractors focus on spinal adjustment and use techniques that facilitate optimal nerve transition.

Treatment from a Chiropractor can be relatively short, which is likely to involve a specific adjustment (manipulation of the joint), and typically have more treatment appointments planned in a given week. 

Chiropractors sometimes also use small hand-held tools to help treat back and neck pain. The Activator Method involves using a small spring-loaded instrument called an Activator Adjusting Instrument that delivers a single thrust to correct a malfunctioning joint (note not all Chiropractors use these).

There are a few key differences between Osteopathy and Chiropractic treatment.

The most predominant difference is that Chiropractors will focus mainly on the spine whereas Osteopaths take a more holistic approach and concentrate on the whole body. Osteopaths utilize a wider range of techniques while Chiropractors routinely perform spinal adjustments. 

Now on paper, there are some key differences. However, through a practitioner’s experience and practice, you can get some cross-over to which this is practitioner-specific.

For example, you may have an Osteopath who is more structural who likes to use more manipulations in their treatments than let’s say another Osteopath. No one profession is better than the other, and both are highly effective for treating common complaints. 

The important factor to remember is that if you are not getting the results you want or expect then you can change practitioner, and having an honest talk with your practitioner can go a long way in getting you the right treatment.

If you have any further questions about the topics covered above or any other questions on how Osteopathy can help you, then please do not hesitate to reach out. 

Our Osteopathic clinic is situated on the North Shore in Auckland. A list below are the areas we serve:

• Albany
• Rosedale
• Glenfield
• Browns Bay
• Takapuna
• Milford
• Wairau Valley
• Mairangi Bay