13/04/2022
Osteopathy works . ❤️
FULL TEXT : "Back pain could be eased by osteopathy, research in the British Medical Journal has suggested.
The study of more than 3,700 people found “promising evidence” that the manipulation of the body’s tissues and bones could relieve pain associated with musculoskeletal conditions.
The research, published in BMJ Open, comes after years of debate about osteopathy, with mixed evidence about its merits.
Back pain is one of the most common disabling conditions in the Western world, with around eight million regular sufferers.
Eight in 10 adults will suffer back, neck or muscle pain at some point, costing the UK more than ÂŁ14 billion a year in days of work lost.
Experts warn that the situation has been worsened by increased use of smartphones and laptops, a trend exacerbated by the rise of home working.
Osteopathy, first developed in the late 1800s in the USA, is based on the principle that the anatomy and physiology of a person’s body are intertwined, with the goal of repairing imbalances in the relationship.
It has grown in popularity over the past decade and is now regularly prescribed on the NHS for back pain. There are more than 5,000 osteopaths in Great Britain, who provide an estimated eight million consultations a year for musculoskeletal problems in the UK.
Osteopathy more effective than other therapies
Research by Turin’s School of Osteopathy, examining nine systematic reviews of the evidence, found it to be more effective than other methods.
The search involved analyses conducted between 2013 and 2020, involving 55 primary trials and 3,740 participants.
The reviews reported on the use of osteopathy in a wide range of conditions, including acute and chronic non-specific low back pain, chronic non-specific neck pain, chronic non-cancer pain, primary headache and irritable bowel syndrome.
The analyses found that osteopathy is more effective than other approaches in reducing pain and improving physical function in lower back and neck pain.
It was also found to help back pain in pregnant women and those who have just had a baby, as well as in chronic pain not associated with cancer.
Osteopathy was compared against placebos, physiotherapy, no treatment, other forms of complementary medicine and against standard care, which can involve short periods of rest, followed by exercise, as well as painkillers, heat or ice.
Not always the right treatment
However, researchers found little evidence that osteopathy works for migraines or irritable bowel syndrome.
The studies also did not support its use in children, where it was examined for those with conditions ranging from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to asthma and infantile colic.
The researchers said the overview suggested that osteopathy “could be effective in the management of musculoskeletal disorders”, particularly for pregnant women or those who have just given birth.
Only trials carried out by doctors with osteopathic training or osteopaths were included."
