One OMT Session Lowers Cortisol and Brings Sustained Pain Relief: A Prospective Treatment Trial

Hypothesis: In acute pain patients, one treatment of osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) will increase range-of-motion (ROM), decrease pain, reduce stress, and lower inflammation as measured by salivary cortisol. Methods: A prospective, open-label, longitudinal, proof-of-concept treatment intervention trial was designed to test the hypotheses. Institutional Review Board approval and patient consent to participate in the study were obtained prior to recruitment. Inclusion criteria: Subjects with acute pain lasting Results: One session of OMT significantly reduced stress, pain and increased overall neck ROM (p Conclusion: Brief OMT was effective for increasing neck ROM, reducing pain-related stress and alleviating physical pain measured at the immediate post-OMT and 2-week conditions. Changes in salivary cortisol levels may also be a viable biomarker of OMT efficacy.