An osteopathic physician in Delaware will combine traditional Western medicine with the manipulations of various bones and joints, much like a chiropractor does as well.

Medical Expertise and Services

An osteopathic physician treats a multitude of patients with the widest range of problems possible. He usually practices in a primary care setting much like a general doctor or internist. He can prescribe medications and is also trained to perform surgery, although most of them don't perform operations on a regular basis. They are licensed medical school graduates and are sometimes called DOs, or Doctors of Osteopathy or of Osteopathic Medicine.

They help patients with diseases such as hypertension, asthma, bronchitis, sprains, strains, broken bones, cuts and wounds from various injuries, and they treat all types of infections and inflammations that can occur in the human body. They often work in private practices either alone in solo practice or in group practice either with other regular physicians or other osteopaths, or sometimes with specialists such as endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, or even dermatologists, depending on their specific work setting.

They're also affiliated with certain hospitals in their local area of practice for the times when their patients have to be admitted to the hospital for evaluation or surgical procedures. They have to utilize follow-up care to check on each one of their patients as they are recovering in the hospital. These types of doctors earn very good incomes, on par with other primary care physicians. They can treat men, women, teens, children and even babies, although pediatric care is not their primary specialty.

They often manipulate joints and bones in conjunction with prescribing medications or treating individuals with other types of care either in or out of a hospital setting. These doctors are highly respected in the community and are licensed in all 50 states, including Hawaii. They have passed extensive examinations to gain their licenses in the field and they usually have regular office hours five days a week, although they often have evening hours to accommodate many of the people who are sick and need to come to see them.

They do an excellent and fully adequate job at keeping the sick people who see them in a comfortable, high quality state of health. In certain cases, they have to refer individuals to specialists with more advanced education such as oncologists, psychiatrists, and ear, nose and throat doctors. They have good relationships as professional medical colleagues with these specialists as well so they can try their very best to keep the individuals who come to see them in the highest level of health possible.