Unpublished MSc thesis, Wiener Schule für Osteopathie, 2007/03, 91, type of study: ,cct,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Free full text   (https://www.osteopathic-research.org/s/orw/item/2981)

Keywords:

change of life [1]
climacteric syndrome [1]
menopause symptoms [1]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3946]
OMT [3925]
female [655]
women [608]
quality of life [126]
perimenopause [3]
controlled clinical trial [324]
WSO [508]

Abstract:

Background: Many women aged between 45 and 55 experience a series of symptoms and complaints associated with menopause, particularly during perimenopause. In the case of many women, these conditions affect personal wellbeing and the general quality of life. Research Question: The objective of this study is to clarify whether specific osteopathic treatment can alleviate symptoms and ailments associated with menopause and produce significant or measurable improvements in the patient’s quality of life. Relevance for the osteopathic approach: The osteopathic treatment of menopause symptoms is of growing interest as it could represent a promising alternative (or complementary) treatment to hormone replacement therapy. Hypothesis: Targeted osteopathic treatment of typical symptoms occurring during perimenopause can significantly or measurably alleviated these symptoms and improve the patient’s general wellbeing (quality of life). Methodology: Evaluating a study group and a control group that consist of 10 women each. Inclusion criteria: women in perimenopause with typical symptoms. Exclusion criteria: hormone therapies, therapies with hormone substitutes, surgery, illnesses. Procedure: Recruitment of test persons with/through a gynaecologist. Procedure: Diagnosis and evaluation of symptoms, followed by three sessions of osteopathic treatment in intervals of two weeks. Second evaluation of symptoms and quality of life four weeks after final treatment. Menopause symptoms and quality of life were evaluated through standardized questionnaires. The results of the treatment group were compared to those of the control group. Results: The symptoms of the treatment group clearly improved. A correlation to the quality of life was not confirmed. Three out of four partial hypotheses derived from the working hypothesis above were confirmed. Osteopathic treatment effectively alleviated complaints associated with perimenopause while women without osteopathic treatment did not show improved symptoms.