Question
I currently have a chiropractor I visit regularly and am very happy with her work on me.  However, I am often asked by friends what the difference between a chiropractor and an osteopath is.  Please could you clarify this for me as I don't know what an osteopath does that is different.

thanks

pauline

Answer
the purpose of chiropractic, unlike osteopathy, is not to manipulate bones. the purpose of chiropractic is to correct the cause of nerve interference. while this interference is caused by bone misalignment in the upper neck, it is the test evidence that the patient's nerve interference pattern has been cleared that is the true measure of the chiropractor's success. the correction of nerve interference, not the visible re-aligning of bones, is what chiropractic is really about. the relative re-alignment, however, is the means to the end.