What to Expect from an Osteopathic Treatment
When you first visit an osteopath, expect to spend an hour or more with the DO. Be prepared to discuss your symptoms and complaints and answer questions about your overall lifestyle. Depending upon your specific complaint, you may be asked to remove one or more items of clothing and perform a series of prescribed movements for the DO to determine the best course of treatment.

Osteopathic treatments are usually done with the clothes on and you can expect a range of hands-on techniques, like gentle, soft tissue stretching, deep tactile pressure, and manipulation of your joints using hand-on pressure or pressure applied to your limbs. After your treatment, you may experience immediate relief of your symptoms and increased mobility in your body. Some conditions may take longer to respond to treatment.

Osteopathic Doctor Credentials
Like medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy must complete four years of medical school and pursue the same kinds of internships and residencies that allow them to choose and practice a specialty.

In the US, doctors of osteopathy are required to pass a state examination in order to practice and can write prescriptions as well as perform surgery. A DO’s education differs from an MD’s in that it typically includes an additional 300 to 500 hours focused on the musculoskeletal system.