How Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) May Help Older Adults with Respiratory Illness Evaluating Lymphatic Pump OMT Alongside Standard Care for Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, and Other Respiratory Diseases

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT), specifically the lymphatic pump technique, can help reduce symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory illnesses such as upper respiratory illness, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia in older adults. The study focuses on patients aged 65 to 100 years who have recently been diagnosed with these conditions. It aims to provide evidence on how adding OMT to standard care may improve patient comfort and speed recovery in an outpatient setting. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one receiving standard care alone, which may include medications and follow-up instructions, and the other receiving standard care plus lymphatic pump OMT. This therapy involves manual pressure and physical stimulation in various body regions to promote fluid movement and support the immune response. The study treatments are carried out during outpatient visits, with OMT targeting areas such as the head, neck, thoracic region, pelvis, limbs, and abdomen. Throughout the study, participants will complete electronic surveys on the day of diagnosis and five days later to report symptoms like cough, congestion, and general discomfort. Researchers will analyze these responses to measure changes in symptom severity and illness duration. The primary outcome is to assess how much the lymphatic pump OMT combined with standard care improves respiratory illness symptoms and overall sickness length over up to one year. Safety and progress will be monitored through these patient-reported measures and standard clinical follow-up procedures.

How OMT Benefits Newly Diagnosed Patients With Respiratory Illness When Given Alongside Other Standard Care.