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Dr. Ralph Monteagudo, DO |
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Ralph Monteagudo, DO
Dr. Monteagudo is a Board Certified General Practitioner serving
Is an Osteopath a real Doctor? Yes. As a matter of fact, DOs and MDs are the only fully licensed physicians allowed to practice general family medicine. Both are authorized to prescribe medication and perform surgery. Osteopathic doctors attend their own medical schools, but are responsible for exactly the same academic discipline as their MD colleagues. In addition, DOs complete an additional 300 to 500 hours of intensive study in the body’s musculoskeletal system. How is an Osteopath’s philosophy different from an MD’s? Osteopaths look first for the underlying cause of illness or pain, then concentrate on normalizing the body so that its natural tendency to heal itself takes over. Although Osteopaths do write prescriptions, prescribing medication is not a first line of treatment in many cases. Finding a natural way to restore rightful body function is their top priority. Take for example, the common headache. Is the body suffering from a Tylenol deficiency? No. Illness or injury has caused a blockage in the body to bring on the pain. The headache is a symptom, and treating a symptom does not solve the problem. A DO will seek first to find the cause, then work with his hands to unblock the irritated area, thus addressing the true problem and relieving symptoms. How does Osteopathic Manual Medicine (OMM) work? The brain and spinal cord, along with the respiratory system, transmit a rhythm throughout the body through membranes called the dura and fascia. The fascia (picture a large piece of shrink wrap) is literally one piece of connective tissue that lines the body cavities and surrounds all organs, muscles, bones, vessels and nerves. The fascia allows different body motions, and tensions, to be transmitted to all other parts of the body. This motion gently pulls and releases all the areas of the body in order to work strains and tissue restrictions structurally free. DO’s manipulate this natural healing system with their hands in order to free up systems which are injured or under stress. What types of illness does an Osteopath treat? Through the process of removing obstructions to health, DOs are able to treat virtually any illness or trauma including (but not limited to):
Ear, Nose, Throat Problems
Somatic Pain
Systemic Problems
For more information on Osteopathy, including history and current trends, click here or check out www.osteohome.com
Known to his patients and friends as Dr. Monte, Ralph Monteagudo has been practicing medicine since 1985. His father, a physician who emigrated to Florida from Cuba before Castro took control, sparked his first interest in medicine by getting his son a job as an orderly at St. Petersburg Osteopathic Hospital. Throughout high school and college, Dr. Monte worked as an orderly and nursing aide and has been caring for patients since the age of 15. An “ordinary man” with an aptitude for healing, Dr. Monte enjoys being part of the community. With three kids, he’s a veteran of many bake sales, car washes, ball games and school activities. He enjoys martial arts and practices “Isshin-Ryu” a form of self defense from Okinawa. “I like the discipline and the history behind it – and it’s fun to hit people,” he laughs. A veteran of rural medicine, Dr. Monte likes the challenge of seeing patients in clinic, hospital, nursing home and ER. “Rural doctors have to know a lot, but no doctor can know everything,” says Dr. Monte. And he’s not afraid of what he doesn’t know. “I may not have all the answers, but I will find somebody who knows and then we’re still successful and get solutions.” Dr. Monte sees patients at all three North Basin Medical Clinics and Lincoln Hospital & Long Term Care.
Medical Experience
Residency
Education
Licensure & Certifications
Positions Held
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