It’s been a long day for me. My usual morning working routine has been cut short by a call from my husband who was just upstairs in the bedroom sleeping (he works at night, that’s why). “Honey, it’s time”, he said. “Oh, shoot, let’s go”, I answered.
I had to rush him to an immediate care facility nearby. He’s been having a gout attack the night before, and his medication can’t mask the pain any longer, and was already in excruciating pain. It was two and a half years ago since his last attack, so I’m wondering what he ate again that caused his uric acid level to shoot up and triggered this. He is a very stubborn man, and unlike me, he doesn’t watch what he eats despite his condition. And because he is stubborn, he hasn’t seen his regular doctor for quite some time now, trying to avoid to get yelled at again. Ugh!
So while he’s in extreme pain and being drugged, I’ve decided to ask the nurses for referrals for good doctors for him since I can’t make him go back to his old doctor anyway. I got a list of different types of doctors and got curious about how a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) and an MD (Doctor Of Medicine) differs from one another. I just go to an MD because I was raised thinking that MDs are better without really knowing much about it. And since the nurses’ answers on how those two differ failed to satisfy my hungry mind (and starving tummy), I’ve decided to spend my “free, can’t do anything anyway” mom time googling about it on my iPhone. Here’s what I found out:
- Both are medical doctors, completing four years of basic medical education.
- Both DOs and MDs can choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine after completing a residency program (typically two to six years of additional training).
- Both must pass comparable state licensing examinations.
- DOs can perform surgery, child delivery, treat patients, and prescribe medications in hospitals and clinic settings.
- DOs look at the “total person.” Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive care. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they look at the whole body.
- DOs receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system, which is comprised of the nerves, muscles, and bones. This training gives DOs a better understanding of how an injury or illness in one part of the body can affect another part of the body; therefore, DOs have a therapeutic and diagnostic advantage.
Now, I’m interested! Since I go by prevention, and prefers natural healing methods over medicines (if I can help it), I would like to try going to a DO.
Since both me and my husband are due for an annual physical exam anyway, I immediately scheduled an appointment with a DO who is a family practitioner. We’ll see him this coming Friday. I’ll keep you posted… And oh, we’re now back at home and my hubby is now sleeping calmly, like a baby 
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Sorry to hear about the gout attack. As I’m sure your hubby knows, it’s the most painful thing ever (I’ve wanted to push my wheelchair onto the railroad tracks to “kill the pain” for good when I get the attacks). Thanks for the description of the difference between a DO and an MD. I didn’t know this. Good information. Gout (hyperuricemia) is a good reminder of why we should eat better and drink more water. Beer and alcohol will set it off. High protein foods will set it off. Dehydration will set it off. And once it’s set off, the pain will punish you for a while.
We’ve learned to reduce our red meat intake quite a bit over the years… and we’ve increased our eating of bananas, papayas, pineapples, and mangos–in addition to black cherries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. The more fruits and veggies you eat, the more alkaline your system will be–and the less problems you’ll have with gout.
Best regards,
Dave Gardner (aka EditorDave)
Thanks for the advice, Dave. I will forward this to him, hopefully, he starts listening, especially now that the advice came from somebody who has it too. Take care!
Good Morning, I ‘m happy to hear your husband is back home and hopefully will be feeling better, soon.
I go to an MD because where I now live, there are not many DO’s. I am a nures and worked for many years with both and I can tell you, there is nothing wrong with going to a DO. Frankly, i always felt they spent more time with their patient overall but that is just my opinion. I did notice a lot of “bias” against DO’s when I worked with MD’s…almost like a rivalry. But it was always so silly and like I said, at the age of 45 and looking for a great family physician, if there were a DO nearby, I would probably sign-up! Good Luck!
Suzannw
Thanks for the info, Suzanne. I know, I was biased too before I got my facts. I guess, a lot of people do. It really helps to ask around and research before making a decision.
I’m sorry to hear about the pain your husband was in. I have never had that happen to me, but I can’t imagine it is very enjoyable.
This was a great post. I used to only go to MD’s myself. However, for the past 10 years I have only gone to DO’s. While I think both are sound in their knowledge and medical abilities I think my personality has just ‘clicked’ more with my DO and I feel I have received better care from her as well.
Either way – I think this was a great post because I think a lot of people feel DO’s are beneath MD’s and that they are what they are because they couldn’t cut it as real doctors. (or at least that is what I heard working in the medical field for several years).
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