Q: How much is the cost and duration of a visit?

A: Please look at our Fees and Scheduling page. 

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Q: Is there an osteopath closer to where I live?

A: Maybe! Know that most osteopaths have different treatment styles so your experience may vary, but it may be helpful to have options for different practitioners and approaches. You can use these links to find a hands-on osteopath in your area:

1) Cranial Academy (if you want someone who has training in cranial osteopathy, i.e. the more subtle form of osteopathic treatment dealing with fluid interchange in the body)

2) American Academy of Osteopathy (for a more general search for hands-on osteopaths) 

 

If you're in the Maryland/DC area, you can see other local manual osteopathic physicians on this map we've put together: DMV AREA OSTEOPATHS (and let us know if there's someone you think we should add!)

 

If you need to get treated while Dr. Levy is not available, the easiest option would be to see Dr. Ed Edris who works in the same office as Dr. Levy in Silver Spring. Appointments can be booked through Dr. Edris's website. Other osteopaths are listed on the link above.

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Q: What's the difference between US and international osteopaths?

A: US osteopaths are fully licensed physicians and surgeons, usually with a DO degree (though sometimes an MD degree), and are often board certified in osteopathic manipulative medicine after residency or fellowship training, which requires passing a board examination like any other speciality. The DO or DOMP degree in other countries is a manual therapy degree, without the ability to prescribe medicine or perform surgeries.  Click on this link for more information.

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Q: What's the difference between osteopathy (in the US) and .... chiropractic, craniosacral therapy, zero balancing, rolfing, massage, reiki, healing touch, etc? 

A: Since all these modalities use touch, you may see some similarities. How they differ is most easily answered by experiencing each and letting that be your answer. The longer answer is that in the osteopathic treatments are performed by a physician who has formal medical training, and has had learned osteopathy hand-over-hand with direct mentorship. Some of these other modalities actually started by osteopaths or with ideas in osteopathy and were simplified into individual systems to teach to therapists or laypeople. Sometimes as a result, an osteopathic treatment may seem like it incorporates some of the other modalities together into one treatment. Other than the description in What to Expect, I've also had patients say that OMT is hard to describe because it isn't really like anything else they've experienced, and experiences vary between visits and practitioners. Generally people will come see an osteopath if they are not getting the results they are looking for from other modalities, or if a strain pattern is particularly complex and beyond the scope of a single modality practitioner. 

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Q: Do you do primary care or can you refer me to a DO that does primary care? 

A: Unfortunately, we do not do primary care at this office. Referrals are difficult because patient panels, office staff, and who participates in what insurance companies can change at at any time. We are sorry to say that we do not know who is available and taking new patients. The easiest thing you can do is look on your insurance company's doctor search page or look on Google. Often patients may look for a DO to do both primary care and manipulative medicine, but the time allotted in many practices does not allow for much if any osteopathic treatment. You would have to ask the practice if that is something that is offered. For the mind-body-spirit or holistic aspect that one might expect from a DO, please also know that there are also MDs who are very holistic and went into primary care to address the whole person. 

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Q: Do you take students for shadowing?
A: Sorry, but not at this time. Dr. Levy also does not write letters of recommendation, but is happy to answer questions about osteopathic practice for those considering it. For those interested in learning about osteopathy, we have found that people learn the most by getting treated themselves, as that experience will likely give you the most answers. It may also be helpful to accompany a family member to their appointment. See links above to find an osteopath near you. Due to the volume of requests, we cannot respond to inquiries about this, and that is noted in the contact section as well.