Osteopathic Medicine

06/28/2025

06/28/2025

03/23/2025

Autopsies may very well be the medical procedure that Americans have been most exposed to via their screens. But their depiction on TV is so disastrously wrong that it discourages families from opting into these vital procedures—and even diminishes doctors’ understanding of how autopsies work, Samuel Ashworth reports. https://theatln.tc/51T2GDdp

On television, autopsies happen in dark rooms with blue light. They involve scalpels, bone saws. Many of the actors pantomiming these procedures do things that would cause a pathologist to lose their medical license. In real life, “autopsies are performed in brightly lit rooms,” Ashworth writes. “It’s slow, comprehensive work that rarely involves fancy electronics.”

One of the most subtly ridiculous aspects of TV autopsies is how often the doctors lack personal protective equipment. “In real autopsies, the people involved wear head-to-toe PPE … because, when you open a human body up, all the blood, bile, and other fluids that a person had in life are still in there,” Ashworth continues. Errors like these in TV depictions “reduce autopsies to ghoulish spectacles.”

These procedures are in fact a respectful and uniquely useful tool for understanding a patient’s life and death: “Autopsies, even in cases where death was expected, can serve a real purpose to the living,” Ashworth writes. “They help present a full narrative of disease, which can help doctors treat other patients and—if communicated well—allow grieving families to move toward acceptance.”

The rate of autopsies in the United States more than halved from 1972 to 2007. And in hospitals that do offer the procedure, residents—many of whom lack the training to properly describe the process—are typically the ones who have to ask a family about an autopsy. “In that moment, there’s little to stop the grieving family from calling up all the lurid images they’ve likely seen on TV,” Ashworth continues. On TV, “the stark truth of a dead body is either milked for shock factor or smoothed over with holograms … Everyone knows life isn’t like that. We need to accept that death isn’t, either.”

Read more: https://theatln.tc/51T2GDdp

🎨: The Atlantic. Source: Getty.

12/06/2024

Ernest Hemingway once said: In our darkest moments, we don’t need solutions or advice. What we yearn for is simply human connection—a quiet presence, a gentle touch. These small gestures are the anchors that hold us steady when life feels like too much.

Please don’t try to fix me. Don’t take on my pain or push away my shadows. Just sit beside me as I work through my own inner storms. Be the steady hand I can reach for as I find my way.

My pain is mine to carry, my battles mine to face. But your presence reminds me I’m not alone in this vast, sometimes frightening world. It’s a quiet reminder that I am worthy of love, even when I feel broken.

So, in those dark hours when I lose my way, will you just be here? Not as a rescuer, but as a companion. Hold my hand until the dawn arrives, helping me remember my strength.

Your silent support is the most precious gift you can give. It’s a love that helps me remember who I am, even when I forget.~

Unknown

11/29/2023

10/26/2023

10/26/2023

Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic medicine originated in the late 19th century in the United States, pioneered by Andrew Taylor Still. It emerged as an alternative approach to conventional medicine, emphasizing the unity of the body’s systems and the importance of the musculoskeletal system in maintaining overall health.

Osteopathic medicine operates on the principle that the body has an innate ability to heal itself. It focuses on the interrelationship between the body’s nerves, muscles, bones, and organs, aiming to restore balance and promote holistic well-being. The philosophy centers on the belief that the body is a dynamic unit of function, and any disruption can lead to illness.

Osteopathic medicine incorporates various treatment modalities, including osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), which involves hands-on techniques to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. OMT aims to improve circulation, enhance immune function, and reduce pain and inflammation, thereby facilitating the body’s ability to heal itself and achieve optimal health.

A typical visit to an osteopath involves a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s medical history, lifestyle, and current symptoms. The osteopath then performs a physical examination, which may include evaluating the patient’s posture, range of motion, and musculoskeletal structure. Based on the findings, the osteopath devises a personalized treatment plan, which may include OMT, exercise recommendations, and lifestyle modifications.

Osteopathic treatments have shown efficacy in addressing various health issues, including back and neck pain, sports injuries, arthritis, asthma, digestive disorders, and menstrual pain. Additionally, osteopathic medicine has been beneficial in managing chronic conditions such as migraines, fibromyalgia, and even certain neurological disorders. By addressing musculoskeletal imbalances and improving overall body function, osteopathic medicine plays a vital role in promoting long-term health and well-being.

In conclusion, osteopathic medicine has evolved as a comprehensive approach to healthcare, emphasizing the importance of the body’s structural integrity and its impact on overall health. With a focus on hands-on manipulation and holistic treatment, osteopathic medicine continues to offer a unique and effective path towards achieving better health and wellness.

08/03/2023

At the World Championships in Budapest, USA’s Anita Alvarez sank to the bottom of the pool.

Looking across the deck, and noticing she was under way too long, her coach, Andrea Fuentes immediately dove in after her fully clothed, pulling her to safety. Anita was unconscious and didn’t have the capacity to kick, paddle, or help herself in any way.

If Andrea would not have noticed, she would have drown.

But she knew Anita. She looked for her, quickly noticed she was under too long, then dove in without thinking twice.

This has resonated with me….

When you are under too long, who are the people that will look for you, notice, and dive in to pull you to the surface when you lose your strength to swim?

Who are the people that would do that for you?
And can someone count on you to be that person that would go looking and notice when they are under too long, diving in to support them when they are all out of fight and fuel to swim in these turbulent waters we call life?

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07/03/2023

“He who does not desire power is fit to hold it.”
— Plato

06/29/2023

Strokes without a known cause are called cryptogenic. If you’ve had one, work with your doctor to root out the cause and identify what puts you at risk for a second stroke. Learn more at http://spr.ly/6184O43xM

Medtronic supports the American Stroke Association’s Secondary Stroke Prevention Initiative.

04/11/2023