Osteopathic manipulative treatment

The article reviews the anatomical path of the phrenic nerve and its anastomoses, with the most up-to-date knowledge reported in the literature. We have briefly reviewed the possible phrenic dysfunctions, with the final aim of presenting an osteopathic manual approach for the treatment of the most superficial portion of the nerve, using a gentle technique. The approach we propose is, therefore, a theory based on clinical experience and the rationale that we can extrapolate from the literature. We hope that the article will be a stimulus for further experimental investigations using the technique illustrated in the article...

INTRODUCTION: Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) encompasses techniques guided by the tenets of osteopathy aimed at facilitating the body's natural self-healing capabilities as a treatment option for injury or illness. This approach recognizes the interrelationship of structure and function in promoting overall health. The clinical applications of OMM have been highly researched throughout different subspecialties of medicine; however, there is a notable lack of osteopathic-based research targeted toward neurosurgical patient populations...

CONTEXT: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) has long plagued mankind, but little progress has been made in finding a rational and effective treatment, let alone a common cause. This study is an attempt to fill that void by measuring short- and long-term effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), including psychosocial and pain reduction in CLBP patients. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of neuromusculoskeletal medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) in treating CLBP, with a focus on biopsychosocial (pain sensitivity questionnaire [PSQ]) and pain control in chronic conditions...

BACKGROUND: The clinician-patient relationship has consistently been found to predict treatment success in both physical and mental health settings. This relationship has been operationalised in the literature as "Working Alliance," which consists of three key components: patient-clinician agreement on the goals of care, agreement on the tasks required to achieve those goals, and the establishment of a strong bond. While research has demonstrated the impact of working alliance in physical health settings, it often measures working alliance early in patients' care journeys...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the maternal-fetal hemodynamic effects after osteopathic manipulative treatment by measuring vital signs and Doppler velocimetry in third-trimester pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study with pregnant women undergoing outpatient follow-up and hospitalized in a ward at Instituto Fernandes Figueira/Fiocruz, between August 2021 to August 2022, during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This study was registered in REBEC under Register Number RBR-9q7kvg and approved by the ethics committee under number 32216620...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and alterations in bowel habits, with global prevalence. The etiology of the disease is likely multifactorial; however, autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction and immune-mediated inflammation may contribute the most to the hallmark symptoms of abdominal pain and altered motility of the gut. Current pharmacological therapies operate to modulate intestinal transit, alter the composition of the gut flora and control pain...

Surgery is a common and often necessary treatment option for a wide range of medical conditions, with an estimated 40 to 50 million surgeries performed in the US alone each year. While the various types of surgeries performed may be effective in treating or managing different conditions, the post-operative period can be challenging for patients. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a hands-on approach to medical care that seeks to restore balance and harmony to the body from the lens of an interconnected mind, body, and spirit...

Chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) are debilitating and potentially lethal illnesses that affect a large proportion of the global population. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a manual therapy technique developed and performed by osteopathic physicians that facilitates the body's innate healing processes. Therefore, OMT may prove a beneficial anti-inflammatory modality useful in the management and treatment of CIDs. This work aims to objectively evaluate the therapeutic benefits of OMT in patients with various CIDs...

Neck pain is a multifactorial condition, and one common cause is cervical spine injury related to motor vehicle collision (MVC). Injuries from MVCs range from whiplash to cervical spine fracture and can manifest in various ways including neck stiffness, decreased range of motion, and neurological deficits. One method of management currently underutilized is osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), which can be used to treat pain and range of motion deficits resulting from MVCs. While a few studies in the literature have documented a statistically significant benefit of OMT in chronic pain syndromes, there is little data on its effectiveness in treating patients after MVCs...

BACKGROUND: Manual therapies are commonly used by healthcare professionals when caring for children. However, few prospective studies have evaluated their adverse events (AEs). This study aims to assess the feasibility of a pragmatic prospective study aiming to report the immediate and delayed (48-hours post-treatment) AEs associated with manual therapies in children aged 5 or younger. Preliminary data on AEs frequency are also reported. METHODS: Between July 2021 and March 2022, chiropractors were recruited through purposive sampling and via a dedicated Facebook group for Quebec chiropractors interested in pediatrics...

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent and debilitating condition, leading to significant challenges to both patients and the governmental healthcare system. Non-pharmacologic interventions have received increasing attention as potential strategies to alleviate chronic low back pain and improve patient outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to comprehensively assess the changes in blood inflammatory biomarkers after non-pharmacologic interventions for CLBP patients, thus trying to understand the complex interactions between non-pharmacologic interventions and inflammatory biomarker changes in CLBP...

CONTEXT: Osteopathic treatments regulate the neurovegetative system through joint mobilizations and manipulations, and myofascial and craniosacral techniques. Despite the growing body of research, the precise impact of osteopathic medicine on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is not yet fully elucidated. As to Kuchera's techniques, the stimulation of the sympathetic trunk and prevertebral ganglia contributed to harmonization of the sympathetic activity. However, potential relationships between the harmonization of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis largely remain uncertain and warrant further exploration...

The Five Models of Osteopathic Medicine offers guidance on creating a treatment plan that includes OMT for patients with chronic pain. Using OMT on one body region or system has numerous downstream effects and can influence multiple models. This paper describes this therapeutic modality.

The majority of women experience dysmenorrhea during their lifetime. The current standard-of-care treatment consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptive pills, or intrauterine devices. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a beneficial tool for improving non-musculoskeletal (non-MSK) conditions such as migraines, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and anxiety. OMT should be utilized to improve other non-MSK conditions, such as dysmenorrhea. The current review aims to evaluate the effects of OMT in women with dysmenorrhea...

INTRODUCTION: Migraines are the leading cause of disability in the United States, and the use of non-pharmaceutical treatments like osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has shown promise. Despite its potential, the lack of mechanistic understanding has hindered widespread adoption. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of OMT in treating acute migraines and unravel its underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: Female rats were subjected to a "two-hit" approach to induce migraine-like pain...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess whether the touch of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) can affect the endogenous production of oxytocin in full-term pregnant women and the assessment of well-being following the treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study have been enrolled 57 pregnant women at full-term pregnancy (37th-41st week) for evaluation of the concentration of salivary oxytocin 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after a single session of OMT by an osteopath lasting for 30 minutes...

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the efficacy of manual therapy for pain and disability measures in adults with sacroiliac joint pain syndrome (SIJPS). METHODS: We searched six databases, including gray literature, on 24 October 2023, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining sacroiliac joint (SIJ) manual therapy outcomes via pain or disability in adults with SIJPS. We evaluated quality via the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and certainty via Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE)...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the consistency of study designs in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) research, focusing on blinding protocols and the use of sham treatments. DATA SOURCE AND STUDY SELECTION: PubMed and CINAHL were searched in January 2022. A total of 83 research studies between 2009 and 2021 were selected based on the presence of a double- or single-blind study design and/or sham treatment. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Data regarding the primary outcome measures, blinding design, measures used to determine success of blinding, osteopathic technique used, and sham technique used for each eligible study were extracted and compared among different study designs...

Physical modalities, including acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy, and spinal manipulation, are commonly sought for migraine headache management. Acupuncture has been helpful in management of migraine, particularly as an adjunct to standard therapy. Some studies support acupuncture in combination with electroacupuncture and a traditional Chinese medicine form of massage called tuina as beneficial. An estimated 15% of patients with migraine seek spinal manipulation with osteopathic physicians or chiropractors, though evidence of benefit is lacking and potential for adverse effects is low but present...

Musculoskeletal pain can be a significant safety risk to aircrew. Flight surgeons are the primary care providers for aircrew and are responsible for safely treating musculoskeletal pain. Certain medical interventions can be used to treat pain while maintaining the ability to fly safely. A previous F-18 Naval Flight Officer presented to the flight surgeon with chronic neck pain seeking noninvasive and nonpharmacological therapy. After one Osteopathic Manual Treatment session using the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM), the patient had improved pain and function...