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How Osteopathy Can Help the Disabled

Disability takes many forms. In some cases the illness that causes the disability is progressive, and the patient with this form of ailment will seek out a medical professional who can either hold the progression of the disease or at least help to maintain a current status quo of wellness. In other cases someone who is overcoming a sudden disability is fighting to regain health, and this, too, requires the help of a dedicated medical professional who sees the whole patient rather than simply a collection of symptoms and test results. This is where the osteopathic doctor (D.O.) can do a world of good.

Unlike a M.D. who treats symptoms and only has sufficient time to spend a limited doctor's visitation with the patient, the average D.O. expects to spend at least 30 minutes, sometimes more, with a patient. In the case of disabilities, the D.O. furthermore sees beyond the immediate physical needs and also attempts to ascertain the social ramifications the disability may have on the patient, the stress factors that may have changed, and she or he will also take a leading role in teaching the disabled individual to implement new adaptations and modifications that might make life just a bit easier.

There are several functions an osteopathic practitioner will take on when dealing with a disabled patient:

* Chart range of motion. The D.O. will chart the current range of motion with which the patient presents at the initial visit. From there, she or he will keep a log to ensure that the range of motion is not gradually decreasing. Should this be the case, a different treatment protocol is taken on in the hopes of reversing the course.

* The D.O. may make suggestions for easing daily tasks. These involve the use of Velcro tabs instead of buttons, and the use of larger doorknobs for those who are disabled to such an extent that the fine motor skills are hampered, and the osteopathic practitioner may also suggest changes to the overall setup of the disabled patient's home to include easier operating doors and windows.

* Osteopathic practitioners also work together with family members of the disabled patient to think through adaptive measures that may make the home not only safer but also friendlier for the disabled individual to still do a lot of tasks him- or herself. This includes the installation of handlebars in showers and around the toilet area, and also the widening of doorways to accommodate adaptive devices.

It is interesting to note that an osteopath may also be more than simply a physician who takes a hands-on approach to diagnosing and healing the diseases of the patients. In many cases the D.O. doubles as the advocate for the disabled individual and as such is alternately the cheerleader when new milestone are achieved, and also the gadfly when it comes to getting the patient the social services she or he needs to continue on with treatment and to receive the medical devices required to make life a bit easier.