Journal of Osteopathic Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Incidence of sacral somatic dysfunction in vaginal delivery after spontaneous labor.","authors":"Anne-Marie Ogden, Jony Munholland, Gwenn Jackson, Savannah Newell, Randy Aldret","doi":"10.1515/jom-2026-0047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2026-0047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Pregnancy produces numerous physiological and structural changes in the pregnant person as the fetus grows. An increase in the hormone relaxin throughout pregnancy causes ligamentous laxity to allow the body to stretch and make room for the fetus and prepare the body for birth. This relaxation of the musculoskeletal system contributes to lumbar lordosis, pelvic pain, lumbar disc herniation, and joint pain. These changes may persist after delivery, causing years of lumbar and sacral pain. Although multiple reports indicate that 50 % of delivered patients will develop back pain, which is likely multifactorial, few studies have evaluated postpartum people for sacral dysfunctions.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Our study focused on investigating the incidence of sacral dysfunctions in recently postpartum patients. The objectives for this study include: (1) to assess the type of sacral somatic dysfunction present in postpartum patients; and (2) to investigate the correlation between various demographic factors (age of mother, gravida, para, gestational age, utilization of anesthesia, postpartum day of osteopathic evaluation, position of baby at delivery, operative delivery via forceps or suction, weight of baby) and sacral somatic dysfunctions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was conducted by third year osteopathic medical students recruited during their obstetrics and gynecology clerkship rotation. Study participants were evaluated for sacral dysfunction utilizing a standardized palpatory technique. The findings made by student evaluators at each palpated site were recorded in a password-protected Microsoft Teams account. Principal investigators utilized this data to make a specific sacral diagnosis for each patient. Additional demographic data were recorded and utilized for analysis of risk factors. All data were analyzed and compared utilizing <i>t</i> test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods, chi-square tests, and descriptive statistics with the aid of JASP and SPSS software.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 62 patients participated in the study. Sacral dysfunction has been identified in 100 % of patients. The total incidence of each diagnosis includes: three nonphysiologic, 24 physiologic neutral, and 35 physiologic nonneutral. There was a statistically significant association between nonphysiological diagnoses and an increased fetal weight as well as a shorter interval between birth and evaluation. Additionally, vacuum-assisted deliveries were more likely to result in a nonphysiologic or physiologic nonneutral diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Understanding the incidence of various sacral dysfunctions in postpartum patients can provide us with a deeper understanding of potential causes of back pain following vaginal delivery. In the future, we hope that this pilot study will contribute to further understand factors contributing to sacral dysfunctions in parturient. Our aim is t","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147976052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relationship between idiopathic atrial fibrillation and cancer.","authors":"Thu Tran, Shannon Ramsey Jimenez","doi":"10.1515/jom-2025-0160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2025-0160","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia worldwide, and its intersection with cancer has emerged as a significant clinical concern. Recent large-scale cohort studies reveal a bidirectional association, with new-onset - particularly idiopathic - AF linked to an elevated risk of subsequent cancer diagnosis. This risk peaks within the first 3 months after AF onset, most notably for thoracic, abdominal, and hematologic malignancies, and diminishes thereafter. Proposed mechanisms include shared risk factors, systemic inflammation, prothrombotic states, oxidative stress, paraneoplastic phenomena, and detection bias from increased medical surveillance. While patients with secondary AF and multiple comorbidities bear the highest cancer risk, those with idiopathic AF also demonstrate a nonnegligible risk, albeit lower in magnitude. Cancer diagnosed shortly after AF onset is associated with poorer prognosis, heightened cardiovascular complications, and increased bleeding risk. Current guidelines do not recommend routine cancer screening for idiopathic AF but advocate individualized evaluation when clinical suspicion exists. Significant research gaps remain, particularly in differentiating idiopathic from secondary AF, elucidating biological pathways, and defining evidence-based screening strategies. Addressing these gaps will require coordinated, multidisciplinary research to clarify causality, refine risk stratification, and guide early detection approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147949700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A crisis within the physician shortage in the United States: the need for consistent 12-week paid parental leave.","authors":"Kali Chiriboga","doi":"10.1515/jom-2025-0246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2025-0246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parental leave policies for physicians in the United States remain inconsistent and inadequate, despite growing recognition of their critical role in supporting families' well-being and retention in the workplace. While federal efforts such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA) provide some relief, their limitations - especially regarding wage replacement and eligibility - leave many physicians without sufficient support. State-level paid parental leave (PPL) programs offer uneven coverage, with only 13 states offering such programs and wide variability in duration and compensation. Physicians, as a unique professional group, experience higher levels of burnout compared to other professions, with female physicians facing even greater risk. This is compounded by later childbearing ages and increased risk of pregnancy-related complications. Surveys reveal that most female physicians feel that their parental leave benefits are insufficient and often rely on short-term disability, paid time off (PTO), or unpaid leave to recover from childbirth and care for their newborns. This lack of comprehensive support can contribute to burnout, depression, and increased attrition from the medical workforce. The United States faces a projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, with burnout and family obligations driving some physicians to reduce hours or leave the profession entirely. Evidence from other industries and the military demonstrates that robust PPL policies improve retention, reduce gender-based attrition, and offer substantial cost savings with a significant return on investment for every dollar spent. This review and policy proposal highlights the unique challenges faced by physicians and the urgent need for targeted federal and state-level policy interventions to advance PPL and improve the physician workforce sustainability in the United States.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pain: a century-old approach to treatment with objective documentation.","authors":"Precious L Barnes, Frank J Casella, Hilda Lai, Olavi Airaksinen, Michael L Kuchera","doi":"10.1515/jom-2025-0076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2025-0076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>While medications have their place in the treatment of pain, incorporating the century-old practice of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) into pain treatment protocols may be beneficial. OMT has been administered with positive results in the reduction of pain, but it has been difficult to quantify palpable somatic changes, post-OMT. However, with technological advancement, adding objective documentation could potentially support the many published subjective studies demonstrating OMT effectiveness, reproducibility of OMT techniques, and the effect of OMT in pain reduction.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study documented objective changes in cervical hysteresis, consistent reproducible palpatory diagnosis, and treatment pressures with associated pain levels.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 213 subjects were enrolled and randomized into two treatment groups. Subjects reported their cervical pain via pre- and posttreatment questionnaires. One physician measured somatic tissue hysteresis pre- and posttreatment in all cervical segments utilizing the ULTRAlign SA201^®. A second physician independently diagnosed for significant somatic dysfunction and treated with cervical OMT (while wearing the IsoTouch^® palpation monitoring system).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Statistically significant or suggestive overall cervical changes were observed in all four ULTRAlign SA201^® hysteresis measurement components. Consistent diagnostic and treatment IsoTouch^® pressure measures were documented in the cervical region. Neck pain subjects reported pain reduction posttreatment, with no subjects remaining in the severe pain subgroup.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Statistically significant or suggestive objective cervical hysteresis changes were noted after direct method OMT, along with a reduction in pain scores in this subject population. Consistent palpatory pressures for cervical diagnosis and treatment were measured, supporting the reproducibility of these techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlational analysis of COMAT FBS and COMLEX-USA Level 1 scores.","authors":"Jinghua Liu, Stuart Barnum, Robert Dukat, Min Liang","doi":"10.1515/jom-2025-0127","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2025-0127","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) provides the Foundational Biomedical Sciences (FBS) examinations - FBS-Comprehensive and FBS-Targeted - to support the evaluation of osteopathic medical knowledge. These assessments were launched in 2018 and 2020, respectively. However, the relationship between FBS performance and performance on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 has not been fully explored.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between performance on Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Achievement Test (COMAT) FBS assessments and COMLEX-USA Level 1 scores.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study analyzed the examination performance of first-time COMLEX-USA Level 1 test-takers who completed an FBS assessment between 2021 and 2024. Pearson pairwise correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between FBS scores and Level 1 performance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Pearson correlation coefficient between the FBS-Comprehensive and COMLEX-USA Level 1 was <i>r</i>=0.63. Correlations between the FBS-Targeted assessments and COMLEX-USA Level 1 ranged from <i>r</i>=0.50 to <i>r</i>=0.64. These indicate strong positive linear relationships between the two assessments.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates a strong correlation between FBS performance and COMLEX-USA Level 1 outcomes. These findings provide empirical support for the use of COMAT FBS assessments as valuable tools for gauging students' readiness for COMLEX-USA Level 1.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Demographics of physicians in family medicine residencies during the transition to single GME accreditation.","authors":"Jeremy A Ginoza, Jennifer M Weaver, Daniel L Meyer, Russell G Maier","doi":"10.1515/jom-2024-0177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2024-0177","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>In 2020, the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) became the sole accrediting body for osteopathic and allopathic residency programs. Programs were given the option to apply for Osteopathic Recognition (OR) to emphasize their training in osteopathic principles and practices. This study, protocol 19-366 A5 (Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance [CERA] Survey), was ethically approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians Institutional Review Board (IRB). The study was exempt from clinical trial registration due to its noninterventional online survey methodology. Participants electronically confirmed consent prior to survey initiation.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Our objective was to examine the demographic changes in osteopathic residents, faculty, and program directors (PDs) in ACGME family medicine (FM) programs over the 5-year period of transition to single accreditation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Utilizing demographic data from the 2015 and 2020 CERA omnibus PD surveys, we conducted analyses to examine the changes in number and gender distribution of osteopathic residents, faculty, and PDs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between 2015 and 2020, there were statistically significant increases in Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) PDs, faculty, and residents in FM residency programs. There is also a nonstatistically significant trend toward a higher proportion of female PDs, from  38.1 % in 2015 to 43.5 % in 2020.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The number of DOs in ACGME-accredited FM residency programs increased during the transition to single accreditation. Further research is needed to determine the role of Osteopathic PDs and faculty in OR status.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unopposed alpha-1 constriction: a critical review of beta blocker use in cocaine-associated cardiovascular events.","authors":"Jeremy Jong, Clipper F Young, Jennifer M Abueg, Christina Kinnevey Greig","doi":"10.1515/jom-2025-0117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2025-0117","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Context: &lt;/strong&gt;Cocaine-associated cardiovascular events pose significant challenges in primary care settings, where outpatient physicians often serve as the first point of contact for patients with both acute and chronic cardiovascular complications. Current guidelines discourage the use of beta blockers in cocaine-related acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to concerns of unopposed alpha-1 constriction, but emerging evidence questions the validity of this caution. Primary care physicians frequently manage patients with heart failure and comorbid substance use disorders, highlighting the need for clarity on beta blocker safety and efficacy in this population.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives: &lt;/strong&gt;This review aimed to systematically evaluate the evidence of unopposed alpha stimulation when prescribing beta blockers in people who utilize cocaine, as well as the safety and efficacy of beta blockers in managing heart failure in this population.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;PubMed was searched from April 1968 through August 2024 utilizing the search terms \"cocaine\", \"beta blocker\", and several commonly prescribed beta blockers. The screening process was performed by two authors (CKG and JJ), with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer (CY). The inclusion criteria encompassed original human studies examining the outcomes of patients utilizing cocaine who were treated with beta blockers. The exclusion criteria consisted of studies lacking beta blocker intervention and articles not written in English. The extracted data from each article included the study type, purpose, design, time period, data source, sample size, follow-up duration, clinical intervention, outcomes, and mortality. Critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) checklists for bias analysis were completed for each non-case study article. Different artificial intelligence (AI) bots (Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot, and ChatGPT) were utilized in helping with the completion of the checklists with comparison across the three different platforms and then cross-referenced with the article text itself. The reviewers completed the final risk-of-bias determination without the use of AI.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The search identified 156 articles, with two duplicates being removed. The remaining 154 articles were screened for relevance, and 116 were excluded based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined in the methods. Of the 38 potentially relevant articles, full-text review led to the exclusion of 12 articles, which ultimately led to 26 articles being included in this review.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Current evidence suggests that the risk of unopposed alpha-1 constriction with beta blockers in cocaine-associated cardiovascular events may be overstated. Mixed alpha/beta blockers and beta-1 selective agents were associated with favorable hemodynamic control with minimal reported adverse events. For outpatient physicians, these findings support a more nuanced appr","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A diffuse presentation of urticarial bullous pemphigoid.","authors":"Ahmed Farid, Mark Saad, Daniel Albatarseh, Natalie Prena, Robert Dazé","doi":"10.1515/jom-2026-0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2026-0007","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology of pediatric abuse- and neglect-associated emergency department visits in the United States: an analysis of the 2019-2022 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.","authors":"Elizabeth Oberlander, Nam Nguyen, Micah Hartwell, Amy D Hendrix-Dicken, Christine Beeson","doi":"10.1515/jom-2025-0231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2025-0231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Child maltreatment impacts an estimated 7.4 per 1,000 children in the United States. Given the severity of some abusive injuries, children may present to emergency departments (EDs). As such, EDs are primary screening locations for early identification of maltreatment.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Our objective was to assess rates of maltreatment among pediatric patients presenting to the ED.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a cross-sectional analysis of pediatric ED visits utilizing data from the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS, 2019-2022). Child maltreatment was identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnosis codes of confirmed and suspected maltreatment, examinations performed after sexual assault, problems related to upbringing, malnutrition, and chief complaint codes for 'child abuse,' 'sexual abuse,' or 'rape.' Design-based chi-squared tests and regression models were utilized to determine associations between sociodemographic factors, comorbidities, wait time, and length of stay for these patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our sample included 13,896 pediatric visits. After applying sampling weights, 1.4 % of pediatric ED visits (422,755 visits annually) were related to maltreatment. Of these visits, 62.7 % were for examinations after sexual assault, 31.2 % included maltreatment, and 6.1 % were for problems related to upbringing or malnourishment. No significant associations were observed by race, age, insurance, sex, or rurality. When evaluating associations between comorbidities and child maltreatment-related visits, associations of asthma, substance use, and developmental disorders were statistically significant (p<0.05). Additionally, visits for these encounters were 28.0 minutes longer compared to other visits (p=0.040).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings show maltreatment-affected children across sociodemographics between 2019 and 2022, with more than 420,000 cases presenting to the ED annually. Our results showed that higher rates of maltreatment were found among children with substance use and developmental disorders. At the hospital level, maltreatment visits were often longer than usual visits, but with shorter boarded time - more arriving via ambulance compared to other visits. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive education and training for all ED staff on how to recognize and respond to child maltreatment across diverse populations. Taking a comprehensive history as well as implementing evidence-based protocols can help increase sensitivity to child maltreatment in EDs across the United States.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147445239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Osteopathic manipulative treatment vs. standard therapy in the management of acute neck and low back pain in the emergency department.","authors":"Steven M Hochman, Katherine Vlasica, Alexis LaPietra, Bhargavi K Patel, Christine Ju, Nicholas J Mota, Scott Wilder","doi":"10.1515/jom-2024-0183","DOIUrl":"10.1515/jom-2024-0183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Acute neck and low back pain are common emergency department (ED) presentations, generally treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a hands-on treatment modality utilized to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We sought to evaluate the relative efficacies and side effects of hands-on OMT vs. one dose of oral ibuprofen, in the treatment of adult patients presenting with acute neck or back pain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial at a high-volume urban ED. Adult patients with acute neck or low back pain were randomized to 5 min of OMT or oral ibuprofen 400 mg. Primary endpoint was the reduction in pain. Secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction and the rate of adverse events.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-eight patients were enrolled; 35 were included in the final analysis. Twenty patients were randomized to OMT, 15 to ibuprofen. Median pain reduction on the Numeric Rating Scale 11 (NRS-11) scale was 2.0 points for OMT and 1.0 point for ibuprofen (p=0.11) at 30 min; 2.5 points for OMT and 2.0 points for ibuprofen (p=0.22) at 60 min. There was no significant difference between groups. Nor were there any significant differences on the 5-point Pain Relief Scale (PRS-5) scale (p=0.36), or in any of the secondary outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this small, unblinded, single-center randomized trial, we found no significant difference in utilizing OMT compared to 400 mg of oral ibuprofen for patients with acute neck or low back pain, regarding pain control, patient satisfaction, or side effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":36050,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"431-438"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147318662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}