Seeking relief

Turning the tide: JAOA dedicates issue to advancements in OMT research

Studies find osteopathic manipulative treatment reduced pain in patients suffering from chronic low back pain.

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Studies published in the current issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) strengthen the evidence base for using osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to reduce pain. Additionally, two case studies found OMT alleviated patients’ post-concussion symptoms.

“The fact that several students and residents were involved in producing these articles is encouraging. They are the key to continuing to strengthen the research base for osteopathic medicine,” wrote Leslie M. Ching, DO, in an editorial.

OMT and low back pain

Researchers from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth contributed two studies after conducting a randomized double-blind, sham-controlled trial of more than 400 patients ages 21-69 with at least a three-month history of low back pain to determine the effectiveness of six OMT sessions over an eight-week period.

While the initial study was intended to measure whether OMT aided in recovery, the second study sought to identify characteristics of patients who most benefited from the treatments. It found patients with baseline disability scores of 17 or greater on a scale of 24 experienced significant improvement, and those with initial scores of 7 or greater experienced moderate improvement. The findings led researchers to suggest patients try OMT before resorting to surgery.

“Subgrouping patients according to chronic low back pain intensity and function appears to be a simple strategy for identifying patients who can attain substantial improvement with OMT. From a cost and safety perspective, OMT should be considered before progressing to more costly or invasive interventions,” said John C. Licciardone, DO, MS, MBA, who co-authored the studies.

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Case studies: OMT and concussion

In one case study, a 27-year-old man who fell while snowboarding without a helmet reported his concussion symptoms of dizziness, tinnitus and nausea were resolved after a single 25-minute OMT session for his concussion symptoms. When he returned a week later for a follow-up visit, his concussion symptoms had not returned.

In another case, a 16-year-old girl suffered a concussion after a head-to-head collision while riding a school bus. Five weeks after the injury, she complained of constant, pressure-type headaches. After six weekly visits to an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic for treatment, the pain improved and she was cleared to resume her normal activities.

“In our osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, adolescent patients with prolonged symptoms of concussion have had notable improvements in their symptoms after serial OMT sessions,” wrote the study’s lead author, Iris Castillo, DO.

The authors of both case studies called for further research on the role of OMT in treating concussion symptoms, decreasing recovery time and improving patient outcomes.

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