Talk About “Manipulation”

I generally enjoy reading my Philadelphia Inquirer’s Health section each Sunday. In fact, for several weeks (beginning in February) I contributed to their Medical Mystery feature. Most of their stuff is generally spot on, providing good, solid information. Other times, not so much. I guess this was a slow week: Question: How can osteopathic [manipulation] help my cold and sinus symptoms? The correct answer is, “It can’t.” But no. That doesn’t stop our friendly neighborhood Osteopath (excuse me: she’s also an assistant professor of osteopathic manipulation at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine) from chiming in. After correctly informing us that MDs and DOs get the same general training in school, she segues right into the old (discredited) idea that anything and everything wrong with the human body can be attributed to “blockages” of one variety or another. This is especially seductive when talking about upper respiratory symptoms, when subjectively one’s entire head feels nothing if not completely blocked. But this: An osteopath might use [osteopathic manipulative treatment] to gently contact the structures of the upper back, neck, and face and move them so deeper structures are affected, especially if they are blocking drainage paths.Freeing those deeper structures can help thin out mucus, loosen congestion, and ultimately make the patient more comfortable. This is about as bogus as it comes. There is no p...
Source: Musings of a Dinosaur - Category: Primary Care Authors: Tags: Medical Source Type: blogs