Brief OMT Improves Range of Motion, Reduces Pain & Anxiety As Shown by Interleukin 1-Beta Levels

Hypothesis: Brief osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) will improve range-of-motion (ROM), reduce pain-related anxiety and self-reported somatic pain perceptions as indicated by salivary Interleukin 1- Beta levels (IL-1B). Methods: A prospective 2-week longitudinal treatment intervention trial was designed to examine treatment efficacy of one brief OMT session to improve trunk ROM while reducing anxiety and pain perceptions in 25 acute pain patients for up to 2-weeks later. Salivary IL-1B was analyzed as a biomarker of pre- and post-OMT inflammation, psychosomatic pain and anxiety. Results: Brief OMT delivered one time was significantly related to improved ROM in trunk flexion (t = 2.84, p = 0.009), reduced anxiety as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (F=11.20, p=0.0000). A statistical trend in reduced pain perceptions was evident 2-weeks later (F=23.07, p=0.0000). Levels of IL-1B were significantly correlated to mood and anxiety (r =-0.47, p = 0.05) in the 2-week follow- up condition. Improvement in trunk side bending (right side) after OMT was significantly correlated to reduction in pain related anxiety (r=-0.43, p=0.04). Conclusion: These results suggest that one brief session of OMT effectively increased ROM, reduced pain and anxiety that lasted up to 2-weeks. These OMT benefits were associated with increased post-OMT levels of the inflammatory biomarker, IL-1B. OMT seemed to provide physical pain relief benefits while also reducing psychological pain perceptions and pain-related anxiety.