A Review of Osteopathic and Related Manipulative Treatments for Improving Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Distress in Neurological Disorders

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine

Abstract

Objective

To determine the clinical utility of osteopathic manipulative treatments (OMT) and related manual therapies for improving gastrointestinal distress in patients with neurological disorders (ND).

Methods

A database search through PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid was conducted to identify randomized and non-randomized clinical trials that analyzed the effects of OMT and related manual therapies on gut health in patients with ND. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion and extracted information related to participant characteristics, intervention details, outcome measures, and significant outcomes. Methodological quality of eligible studies was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria.

Results

Twelve studies (nine randomized controlled trials, two pre-post trials, and one non-randomized controlled trial) with a total of 516 individuals with ND were analyzed. All twelve studies showed improvements in symptoms of gastrointestinal distress following OMT and related treatments. Findings may be limited by methodological variability (i.e., heterogenous disability types, treatment modalities) and language exclusions.

Conclusion

Evidence suggests that OMT and related treatments are effective interventions for improving symptoms of gastrointestinal distress like constipation and abdominal pain. Future randomized controlled trials should examine the dose-response of OMT and microbiome changes associated with these treatments.

DOI

10.1016/j.ijosm.2025.100766

Publication Date

5-8-2025

ISSN

1878-0164

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