Robert Thoreson, DO

I saw Dr. Thoreson for about 2 years several years ago, and he helped me to overcome post viral fatigue syndrome (along with stress management therapy).
He is a great physician and cares about his patients.

Dr. Thoreson was excellent although I will say I have only met with him once, but I was impressed. I went to him for a problem with my shoulder and felt like he properly analyzed the issue and got me in with a specialist for my rotator cuff. His niche is really offering personalized care that is more focused on whole person care. By this I mean, he doesn’t rush you in and out of appointments. He sits down with you and actually listens to what’s going on… like all doctors should. You can tell he is very holistic in his problem solving approach as he doesn’t believe in just throwing a pill at it. He looks to see how everything interconnects and may be causing issues… diet, exercise, life circumstance, etc. I appreciate this as I am a therapist in Austin at Just Mind and we preach this same kind of care to our clients and expect it from the physicians we refer to.
You can expect there to be a small initial wait to get in (a week or two) with him and then very personalized care after you have completed your first appointment.

I first saw Dr. Thoreson about 16 years ago when my so-​called «Women’s Endocrinologist» told me there was «nothing more she could do for me.»
I have hypothyroidism and *thought* I was seeing a specialist — supposedly the «best» in her field. I was horrified when she literally turned me away. I had heard of Dr. Thoreson through a friend at work and decided to give him a try. He ran some tests that the Endocrinologist did not, pinpointed my problem, prescribed a supplemental medication and — I kid you not — within two days I was a new person.
He has a brilliant mind. I trust him implicitly.

Dr Thoreson has a quirky bedside manner but is very caring and thorough. If you’re like me and you don’t always fit into the classical medical model you’ll enjoy his approach. You can absolutely get a prescription but he’s most interested in treating the root cause from a whole-​body perspective and that’s exactly what I was looking for when I found his office. The receptionist is warm and friendly, and if you’re lucky you can get a visit from the Dr’s dog while you’re waiting for your appointment in the exam room.
I’ve experienced Dr Thoreson’s care in an urgent medical situation as well as for a full exam and found him to be thorough and caring in both situations. Glad he’s my PCP and does osteopathic adjustments when my lumbar spine is cranky.

How wonderful to have found a doctor with a focus on and extensive knowledge about overall health care with both conventional and more alternative approaches and methods. And how refreshing not to leave a doctor’s office with a handful of prescriptions (that cause more problems), but with a plan to address or resolve the problem in the first place. Dr. Thoreson addresses my concerns, suggests potential treatments, outlines the related costs, advantages and disadvantages of each. The fact that he is able to offer outstanding osteopathic care is icing on the cake.

I have been seeing Dr Thoreson for several years. I am entirely pleased with my care and the entire experience in his office. He identified and successfully treated a mystery condition where my knees were popping out of alignment when I turned over in bed. I always find him a cheerful good listener and he addresses several of my concerns in one encounter. I NEVER feel rushed. He even laughs at my jokes. When I raise a new issue, he typically describes the most recent research, which I find reassuring.
Recently, I asked him to decide which of three practitioners I should see about doing prolotherapy, which he does, on my knee. To my amazement, he suggested I see the doc who had earlier successfully done prolo on the other knee. This was a further indicator that he has my interests at heart.
I like and have a pleasant relationship with everyone at the office, and am never kept waiting.
What more can I say?

All I know is that Dr. Thoreson has been my doctor for over 12 years and in most cases he was able to identify what traditional doctors either ignored or just did not know.

Dr. Thoreson is a healer. And that term is one I am able to use for very few Doctors.
He is kind and compassionate and listens to what you are saying. He has been in practice for thirty years and continues to be a wise and informed Doctor. One can tell that he cares. He listens to your body.
I consider his treatment methods to be a combination of Western and Eastern medicine. He is openminded and doesn’t readily dispense drugs. His supplements are all priced more inexpensively than other health stores.
It is a real treat to see Dr. Thoreson and his staff are wonderful too.
Cindi is the Office Manager, Paula runs the front desk and Gloria is the RN. They all treat me like family.
Dr. Thoreson has taken me from a life of constant pain and fatigue to a feeling of hope. The drive from Southwest Austin to North Austin used to seem long, now I look forward to the drive.
You can ask Dr. Thoreson a question about any medical question and he gives a reasoned answer. He keeps up with the literature. I can ask him what he thinks about taking Statin drugs for high cholesterol, or removing mercury fillings from my teeth. He seems to know the answer to every question I ask him. And I don’t have any other Doctors who have time for questions, much less random ones I am curious about.
I was about to give up hope of everfeeling better. Now my Arthritis, Interstitial Cystitis, Degenerative Disc Disease and fatigue are improving with each visit. I wonder what my life would have been like if I had found him sooner. But I know about him now and he is slowly but surely changing my life for the better. Bless you Dr. Thoreson.

I’ve seen Dr. Thoreson for many, many years, and have had amazing experiences under his care in the past.
Unfortunately, his attitude has gone down the drain in the last couple of years. I don’t know what it is, but it’s really negative and jarring and all of the good, nice nurses that used to work there left, too.
Not to mention, thanks to managed care, appointment time is really rushed, and at best, you may be able to bring up a couple of things, but usually only get time and attention to quickly describe one issue, which you better have concise notes outlined for in advance. So much for holistic care and seeing the bigger picture!
I think if you see him for physical joint ailments and have thick skin, you’ll be alright, but otherwise, if you are looking for a compassionate, patient holistic doctor, look elsewhere.

As indicated in an earlier review, Dr. Robert Thoreson, Austin, osteopath, is the person to go to for a 2^nd medical opinion when another md wants to do surgery or inject a chemical, etc. (By the way: Dr. T is also my primary physician – & visits/​treatments are typically covered by insurance and/​or Medicare)
Dr. Thoreson is very good about recommending a patient see a medical specialist– as has happened 3 times in my case.
If you cannot afford supplements he might recommend, Dr. T will tell you which one is the most important (and to let the others slide). Just tell him what your financial situation is.
About 10 days ago I developed a hiatal hernia. Conventional medicine says I ‘should’ be taking a prescription to control the GERD/​IBS etc that’s usually associated with such a hernia. (Just google to see all the chemicals that regular allopathic docs/​drug companies push off on patients). Yesterday, I saw Dr. T and told him about the hernia. He did a physical adjustment just under my rib cage both front & back. I walked out minus my hernia! (He also gave me tips about how to eat (slowly, chewing at least 50 times, avoiding certain foods, etc.) and other life style tips.
We’re also working on my hypothyroid/​hormone issue, overgrowth of candida, and nutritional issues – using natural approaches in all instances. Though, if necessary, since he can/​does prescribe drugs; he can suggest a prescription but as a «last resort». Furthermore, when I don’t want to use a drug, he understands and we continue to work together. In my experience, too many md’s take such a refusal as an affront to their ego.
The cons about Dr. Thoreson? Have your questions/​concerns written out ’cause sometimes he seems in a hurry — well, he does have a lot of patients. Write down what he suggests you do –especially if it’s a treatment that goes beyond that one visit, because notes don’t always get put into your file. (You might want to tape record the visit)
I don’t know of any other Austin doctor (who’s also covered by insurance) with whom I can comfortably partner with. This is a person you can talk straight with… for me this is a huge plus.

Dr. Thoreson’s interpersonal style is a bit quirky but he once saved me from an expensive and potentially ineffective surgery recommended by a different doctor. I found his sense of humor fun and refreshing and his dedication to medicine is apparent. He uses some «out there» alternative treatments like muscle testing and while he was doing this, I practically laughed out loud at how absurd it seemed, but he was like a detective determined to solve a mystery and since he cured my medical issue, I can’t question his methods. I would definitely visit him again for any «out of the box» medical treatment.