I have severe sciatica for about 1 year now. done everything from pt to accupuncture. now i hear about osteopathic. what is this?

Gentle manipulation: Osteopathic manipulation, like chiropractic, adjusts alignment of bones. There are many styles of chiropractic, some more effective than others, some potentially dangerous, but osteopathy is generally very safe & gentle & often effective. Unfortunately, most doctors of osteopathy don't practice osteopathic manipulation! for a directory of those who do see http://physician.Academyofosteopathy.Org/.

See your MD: Sciatica typically resolves after 6-8 weeks so if your symptoms have lasted for a year you should seek referral to a neurosurgeon after getting an mri.

Underlying problem: An osteopath is a physician. An md and a do are very similar. Osteopaths are trained in manipulation. I agree with dr. Baker - many osteopaths elect not to perform manipulation. I believe it is very important to find out the cause of your sciatica. The underlying condition can then be addressed. Acupuncture can reduce inflammation and pain - but it won't cure a fixed structural problem.

Osteopathic Eval: Some osteopathic physicians do manipulation to see if a vertebrae is dislocated and he/she can offer treatment by trying to correct the pathology. If this does not help, it could be pathology in your spine that needs to be further evaluation. Recommend seeing a pain/spine specialist.