Name:
Katherine Heineman, D.O.
Title:
Clinician/Assistant Professor
Clinic:
Osteopathic Manual Medicine Clinic
Undergraduate School:
Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
Medical School:
Des Moines University, Des Moines, Iowa
Internship:
Mercy Health Partners, Muskegon, Michigan
Residency:
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manual Medicine
Mercy Health Partners, Muskegon, Michigan
What Attracted Me to Osteopathic Manual Medicine (OMM):
As I was going through rotations in medical school, the practice of osteopathic manipulation seemed to me to be unique in that it is one of the only areas of medicine where the knee-jerk reaction for treatment was not either drugs or surgery. Now in practice as an OMM specialist, I feel grateful to be able to offer patients relief of pain and other symptomatic complaints by using my hands as my primary tool to set the stage for the body’s own innate wisdom to work toward healing and health. This is not the conventional allopathic approach, but one that can be extremely effective for many patients.
Specialty:
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manual Medicine
Classical Osteopathy
Conditions I Treat:
- Cranial osteopathy
- Prenatal/postpartum issues
- Child/infant concerns
- Neck and arm pain
- Headaches
- Back pain
How OMM Can Benefit Patients:
OMM can help to improve function, range of motion and decrease energy loss. The general osteopathic approach to disease states that by removing the somatic (body) dysfunction component with its related effect on neural, lymphatic and vascular elements, the body will begin to function maximally within its existing structural limitations.
How I Spend My Free Time:
Time with family and friends, outdoor activities (running, hiking, boating), cooking, reading. One day I will return to traveling!
Fun Fact:
I have a passion for local and artisanal food. I also practice transcendental meditation, after receiving a scholarship to learn it during medical school.
Health Advice to Live By:
“Shake the hand that feeds you. (i.e. know your farmer!)” ― Michael Pollan
