Chiang Mai Osteopathy
Chiang Mai
Osteopathy
Manual therapy & rehab
Osteopathy
ออสทีโอพาธี
A hands-on approach from the United States that looks at how the body's structure and function interact, using a wide range of manual techniques.
IntensityModerate
Origin
United States (Missouri)
History
Developed by Andrew Taylor Still from 1874; first school in 1892
Licence in Thailand
Not required
01
Where it comes from
Osteopathy was developed by Andrew Taylor Still, an American physician and surgeon. Still dated the start of osteopathy to 1874, after studying several healing methods of his time. He then moved to Kirksville, Missouri, where he founded the American School of Osteopathy, the first independent school of osteopathy, in 1892.
The approach then spread abroad, especially to English-speaking countries. John Martin Littlejohn, a pupil of Still, founded the British School of Osteopathy in London in 1917, and the United Kingdom gave osteopaths statutory regulation in 1993.
Osteopathy took two different paths. In the United States, osteopathic physicians (DOs) are fully licensed doctors who can prescribe and operate. In most other countries, osteopaths are manual therapists rather than medical doctors. In 2010 the World Health Organization published training benchmarks to help countries that want to regulate the practice.
The principle
The WHO benchmarks summarise three founding ideas: the person is a functional unit of body, mind and spirit; the body has its own self-regulating and self-healing mechanisms; and structure and function are linked at every level. Osteopaths use these ideas to look for areas of strain or restricted movement and to treat them with their hands.
Techniques range from firm direct methods, such as joint articulation, muscle energy techniques and quick thrusts, to very gentle indirect, fluid or reflex-based methods. Research suggests possible benefit for musculoskeletal problems such as low back pain, while evidence for other conditions (children's conditions, headaches, digestive problems) is limited or inconclusive.
What people come for
- Low back pain and neck pain
- Shoulder, hip or limb pain linked to muscles and joints
- Stiffness and reduced mobility
- Aches linked to posture, work or sport
- Advice on movement, posture and daily activity
How it works on the body
Osteopathy acts on the musculoskeletal system, joints, muscles and connective tissue, with techniques chosen to suit the person and the area treated.
A session, step by step
- 01
Case history
The osteopath asks about your symptoms, health history, medicines and lifestyle.
- 02
Examination
They watch how you move and examine the area by touch. You may be asked to remove some clothing so the area can be examined; you can ask for a gown or wear comfortable clothes.
- 03
Explanation
They explain what they think is going on, the proposed techniques and the risks, and ask for your consent.
- 04
Treatment
Hands-on treatment can include massage-like work, stretching, joint mobilisation and sometimes manipulation.
- 05
Advice
You may receive exercises and advice. Mild soreness or stiffness afterwards can happen and usually passes quickly.
Precautions
- Ask a doctor first if you take blood-thinning medicine or have a higher risk of bleeding or stroke.
- Firm techniques should be avoided if your bones or joints are fragile or damaged (for example osteoporosis, a recent fracture, a bone infection or a tumour).
- If you have a nerve condition such as peripheral neuropathy, discuss it with your doctor before treatment.
- Osteopathy does not replace medical care: for abdominal pain, chest pain, sudden weakness, or pain with fever, see a doctor.
- If symptoms do not go away or keep coming back, see a doctor rather than relying only on manual therapy.
Complementary practice: does not replace medical advice.
05
In Thailand
We did not find a Thai law, licence or professional council dedicated to osteopathy, unlike physiotherapy (regulated by the Physical Therapy Council) or chiropractic (licensed by the Ministry of Public Health). The UK General Osteopathic Council notes that osteopathy is unrecognised or unregulated in many countries, and lists no Asian country among those that regulate it. Because the title is not protected, ask where your osteopath trained, how long the course was, and whether they also hold a Thai licence in another health profession.
Read the full guide →Frequently asked questions
Is an osteopath a doctor?
In the United States, yes: DOs are physicians. Elsewhere, including most osteopaths working in Thailand, they are manual therapists, not medical doctors.
What is the difference with chiropractic?
Both use hands-on techniques and overlap a lot. Osteopathy traditionally uses a wider range of gentle and firm techniques and looks at the body as a whole, while chiropractic focuses more on spinal adjustment.
Can osteopathy treat digestive problems or babies' colic?
Current evidence is limited and inconclusive for these uses. For non-musculoskeletal problems, see a doctor first.
Is it painful?
Usually not. Some techniques are firm, and mild soreness afterwards can happen. Tell the osteopath if anything is uncomfortable.
Also in Manual therapy & rehab
On pranathai
Find a Osteopathy practitioner
Osteopath Centre
Bangkok
Osteopathy- Osteopathy
Sources
- World Health Organization – Benchmarks for training in osteopathy (2010)
- WHO Benchmarks for training in osteopathy – full-text PDF (copy hosted by the Osteopathic International Alliance)
- Kansas Historical Society – Andrew Taylor Still
- Wikipedia – Osteopathy (history, US vs non-US practice, evidence; secondary source)
- Efficacy and safety of osteopathic manipulative treatment: an overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Open 2022;12:e053468
- NHS – Osteopathy
- General Osteopathic Council (UK) – Osteopathy worldwide
- NCCIH – Spinal Manipulation: What You Need To Know