Abstract
Osteopathic principles and philosophy suggest the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to restore, augment, or facilitate lymphatic fluid flow to maintain body fluid balance, and/or to stimulate immune system responses to aid in the recovery from illness and maintain normal body defense mechanisms. This review provides an osteopathic view of the role of the lymphatic system in health and disease, with an emphasis on the use of OMT to alleviate somatic dysfunctions (SD) that inhibit the optimum function of the lymphatic system. The current evidence base is reviewed for the use of OMT to assist in restoring or augmenting lymphatic system function to help patients recover from illness and maintain health and wellness. An overview is provided on how osteopathic principles and philosophy relative to the immune system are applied in practice. A literature search was conducted using databases such as Medline, PubMed, Ostmed-DR, and Scopus, focusing on osteopathic approaches to the lymphatic system. Keywords used included osteopathic manipulative medicine, OMT, and lymphatic manual treatment or therapy. Current osteopathic textbook information was also surveyed. There is support for the application of osteopathic principles and OMT for certain conditions that involve the lymphatic system. More prospective research is needed.
Highlights
BackgroundOsteopathic physicians (DOs) have long recognized how important the lymphatic system is for the maintenance of health
He further established his view of the importance of the lymphatics when he stated, “We are admonished in all our treatment not to wound the lymphatics, as they are undoubtedly the life-giving centers and organs” [2]
This article provides an osteopathic view of the role of the lymphatic system in health and disease, with an emphasis on the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to alleviate somatic dysfunctions (SD) that inhibit the optimal functioning of the lymphatic system
Summary
Osteopathic physicians (DOs) have long recognized how important the lymphatic system is for the maintenance of health. Any diseases or conditions that adversely affect the body’s ability to maintain efficient energy balance may adversely affect the body’s intrinsic and extrinsic lymph pumps from effectively moving lymphatic fluid These situations may include those that result in diminished exercise capacity, inability to maintain adequate cardiac output, and nutritional deficiencies. The principles involved in this approach are [29]: treat the thoracic inlet (supraclavicular fossae) first, to ensure that the areas for terminal lymphatic flow into the central venous system are open; treat SDs of the spinal transitional zones (craniocervical cervicothoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral junctions) to restore physiologic biomechanical motion in these important spinal regions; treat any restrictions in the diaphragms of the body (cranial, thoracolumbar, and pelvic) which are major pumps for moving lymphatic fluid; treat myofascial restrictions present within affected lymphatic drainage pathways; decongest regional lymph nodes were affected; enhance excessive fluid from any affected peripheral regions
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