The difference between Osteopathy and Chiropractic Care

The Healing Power of Touch

At Still Waters Osteopathy, seekers often ask: "Is this like chiropractic?"

It’s a natural question. Both osteopathic medicine and chiropractic care involve hands-on techniques designed to help the body heal. But beneath the surface, they are profoundly different paths — in philosophy, training, and treatment.

Let’s gently explore the distinction.

A Shared Belief in the Body’s Wisdom

Both osteopaths (DOs) and chiropractors (DCs) believe that the body is a self-healing, self-regulating system. Both acknowledge that structure and function are intimately connected. And both use their hands — rather than drugs or machines — as a primary tool of care.

But from there, the roads diverge.

Osteopathic Physicians: Healers and Medical Doctors

As a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Dr. Christensen is a fully licensed physician. He completed a dual 5-year residency in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine at Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital (now McLaren Oakland), finishing in 2017. He served as Chief Resident and later became a Family Medicine Residency Director before founding Still Waters Osteopathy.

OMT is not an “adjustment.” It is not forceful, cracking, or scary. It is a dialogue — between skilled hands and your tissues. Sometimes it feels like gentle pressure. Sometimes it’s a barely perceptible stillness. Sometimes we unwind layers of tension held for years.

OMT can support migraines, TMJ, chronic fatigue, pelvic pain, digestive issues, anxiety, and more.

Chiropractic: A Spine-Centered Approach

Chiropractors (DCs), while trained extensively in anatomy and spinal care, are not medical doctors and do not complete residency training. Their focus is narrower, centering on spinal alignment to influence the nervous system. Adjustments typically involve quick thrusts to restore motion to spinal joints. They offer relief for many people with back or neck pain, but the approach is less individualized and not intended for complex systemic issues.

A Gentle Comparison

Criteria	Osteopathic Physician (DO)	Chiropractor (DC)
Medical Degree	Yes – full medical training & residency	No – chiropractic college
Hands-On Style	Gentle, slow, subtle	Fast, forceful thrusts
Scope of Practice	Full – can treat any system	Primarily musculoskeletal
Techniques	Myofascial, cranial, lymphatic, visceral	Spinal manipulation
Conditions Treated	Headaches, fatigue, gut issues, anxiety	Back and neck pain

Which One Is Right for You?

If you’re seeking high-touch, whole-person care — where your body is honored, your story is heard, and your treatment is guided by both science and presence — then osteopathy may be your home.

At Still Waters Osteopathy, our hands listen more than they push. We don’t “fix” you — we help your body remember how to heal.

You don’t need to be cracked to be restored. You don’t need to be rushed to be heard. You don’t need to suffer alone.