I Just Thought I'd Put This Out There As A Question:

eulessismore · May 24, 2009

I've been thinking about osteopathic practitioners more over the last month or so, mainly because my Primary Care Doctor, a sole practitioner, and an M.D. specializing in Internal Medicine, sent me a form letter saying he's closing his practice because today's environment doesn't work for sole practitioners. I'd gone to an osteopathic before (O.D.), and really he was good, but my prejudice was toward M.D.'s. Also, my mother-in-law had successful cataract surgery done by a guy who teaches at UNTHSC (I've known others for whom this was not so smooth a procedure).

Anyway, I was just looking through the latest U.S. News, ranking graduate and professional schools; the only UNT school or specialty that was mentioned for UNT was primary care at UNTHSC (No. 29 out of 50 listed).

So, what experience or insight do any of you board members have on this; is osteopathic in general, or UNTHSC trained osteopaths in particular, promising as far as primary care medicine?

KingDL1 · May 24, 2009

Dubious Aspects of Osteopathy

I am highly prejudice myself and would only go to a O.D. as a last resort, clearly the top Med Schools and Doctors are M.D.

But even at that I have a few good friends that are Surgeons and it is scary how wide a variety of skill and care exist even between surgeons, if it is life threating or major surgery get at least three opinions from the best doctors you can find. It helps if they are published. After doing some research if a Colon Rectal Surgeon ever suggests surgery that is not Laparoscopic just leave because he is an idiot. Every paper written, trial, and ongoing results shows incredible results compared to traditional surgery. Recovery time is cut to days instead of weeks/months, complications are almost non existent, and the success rate is several times higher. Why does anyone still do traditional Colon Rectal surgery, good question? They should not, but some are stuck in their ways and others don't have the skill to use Laparoscopic instruments. Doctors that don't possess the skill or training to do Laparoscopic surgery make up crap like they can get a good look around or some other BS. Just say no and do your research.

Not to say that some of the principles of osteopathic practitioners of treating the patient as a whole person are not a good thing.

Edited May 25, 2009 by KingDL1

SilverEagle · May 24, 2009

There has always been a certain amount of prejudice regarding D.O.'s vs M.D.'s . The DO philosophy appeals to me, but it involves a lot of committment on the part of the patient. In other words, you have to follow their instructions/recommendations in order for their treatment to be effective. With M.D.'s the only instructions that you have to follow are the instructions on the medication that they prescribe.

It's the old argument about the D.O. treating the "whole" person, and the M.D. throwing medication at the problem/symptom. My father-in-law (God (or whoever) rest his soul) would have hated D.O.'s. He wanted medication for what ailed him, and he wanted immediate gratification from his medication. Otherwise he would quit taking it, because it didn't give him instant relief. Sadly, my deceased father-in-law is too representative of our "fast-food-microwave-instant-gratification" society. That's why we have too many people hooked on prescription medication, and it's why we have a growing number of bacteria that is becoming drug resistant....because people demanded (and their DR's complied) that they be given anti-biotics for everything.

Having said all this, I also agree with KingDL1 about surgery. Surgery should always be a last resort. and if there is a new and improved way to remove/correct something that involves as little "invasion" of our bodies as possible, then that should be the way to go.

oldguystudent · May 24, 2009

With what little understanding I've got on the matter, that's what Chinese medicine is like. It's essentially the base ingredients you'll find in western drugs, but it's far, far less concentrated and takes a long time to work. However, it seems in some cases to have an ultimately higher benefit in the long run. I don't know. I always kinda' grimace when I see the deer horn liquor pouches in the fridge. Stuff squicks me out. Some of the claims of the eastern medical practices are just simply crazy as well. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to cure cancer/aids/impotence/heart disease according to some of the claims out there.

I like the holistic approach in theory. Really I do, but I think a lot of it hangs too much on centuries old technology, and I'm a big fan of science.