Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) fundamentally aims to remedy somatic dysfunction through the manipulation of the patient. In this regard, OMT is a particularly viable non-pharmacological adjunct for patients with depressive and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
In both of these disorders, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis has an interdependent relationship with physiological stress that feed one another to both increase symptomology and leave patients vulnerable to negative life events. Additionally, pro-inflammatory cytokines acting on the brain over long periods of time can lead to exacerbation of disease and the development of depression in susceptible individuals. Altered cytokine balance has also been found in patients suffering from GAD.
Many OMT techniques seek to normalize body function; through the normalization of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone and the enhancement of blood and lymph flow.
Current research directly linking OMT and these conditions is limited, but there appears to be a potential for the use of OMT
