Osteopathic treatment-conventional care combo cuts hospital stays for pneumonia patients
May 26th, 2010 - 3:42 pm ICT by ANIWashington, May 26 (ANI): A combination of osteopathic manipulative medicine- a drug-free form of hands-on medical care focusing on increasing muscle motion- and conventional care reduced the hospital stay time in older patients battling pneumonia, a study found.
Kari Hortos, a Michigan State University professor in the College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine, was one of seven site investigators as part of the five-state Multicenter Osteopathic Pneumonia Study in the Elderly.
The study revealed patients being treated additionally with osteopathic manipulative medicine stayed in the hospital one day less compared to patients receiving conventional care only.
“The results suggest a role for osteopathic manipulative medicine to support conventional therapy in the treatment of pneumonia, which is the fourth most common hospital diagnosis in the country. Besides the obvious benefit of getting people home quicker, the cost savings could be enormous. Further study is needed with these treatments,” said Hortos.
The randomised, controlled clinical trial worked with seven hospitals to assess the impact of osteopathic manipulative treatment in patients 50 and older.
In addition to the reduced length of hospital stay, manipulative medicine also showed a slight decrease in both the amount of intravenous antibiotics needed and respiratory failure, according to the study findings.
Osteopathic manipulative treatments can be used to alleviate pain, restore range of motion and enhance the immune system.
Another form of treatment called light touch - a light form of massage - also was used as a comparative group in the MOPSE study.
While patients receiving it did respond favourably, the results were not as significant as for those receiving osteopathic treatments in addition to conventional care.
Hortos said the fact even light-touch treatments showed some benefit emphasizes the possible role human touch might play in helping patients heal.
“Human contact, both from a physical and emotional aspect, seems to help patients heal faster,” she said.
The study, done between March 2004 and February 2007, was published in the journal Osteopathic Medicine and Primary Care. (ANI)
- Indian leads spiritual healing project in Britain - Jul 31, 2011
- Health experts give thumbs up to non-drug techniques for pain relief - Mar 06, 2010
- Older adults with dementia at increased flu mortality risk - Oct 28, 2009
- Gender does not increase risk of death from heart attack: Study - Feb 23, 2011
- Blast of sound can speed up wound healing - Nov 23, 2010
- Inhaled corticosteroid therapy helps reduce pneumonia mortality - Apr 16, 2011
- Singer George Michael suffering from severe pneumonia, cancels UK tour - Nov 26, 2011
- 'Simulated' needles as effective as real acupuncture - Mar 25, 2011
- Why H1N1 increased mortality in healthy kids? - Nov 07, 2011
- Turmeric lowers heart attack risk post surgery - Apr 16, 2012
- Drug cocktail shows promise against hepatitis C - Mar 31, 2011
- George Michael recovering from pneumonia - Nov 30, 2011
- Pneumonia kills more children than any other disease - Nov 02, 2009
- Uninsured patients more likely to die from trauma than insured ones - Jun 12, 2010
- Trial underway to test whether surgery is best option for type 2 diabetes - Feb 11, 2011
Tags: clinical trial, college of osteopathic medicine, common hospital, conventional care, conventional therapy, further study, hospital diagnosis, internal medicine, intravenous antibiotics, manipulative medicine, manipulative treatment, michigan state university, pneumonia, pneumonia patients, possi, range of motion, respiratory failure, state university professor, study findings, treatment of pneumonia