RESUMO
This study aimed to determine whether osteopathic manipulation of the T9-T10 vertebrae improves the evolution of tonsillitis. A randomized, stratified, controlled clinical trial with blinded patients, evaluator and data analyst was performed. The patients in the control group (CG) underwent a "sham" manipulation. A high-speed, low-amplitude technique was applied to the T9-T10 vertebrae in the osteopathic manipulative group (OMG) patients. The number of days needed to resolve the tonsillitis was significantly lower (p = 0.025) in the OMG (2.03 ± 0.95 days) than the CG (2.39 ± 0.82 days). Additionally, the number of episodes of tonsillitis after the treatment decreased significantly more in the OMG (0.8 ± 1.88 episodes/year in total) than the CG (2 ± 2.12) (p = 0.005). In the OMG, 60.8% had no recurrences of tonsillitis, compared to 22.5% of the CG, in the following year (χ2 (1) = 15.57, p < 0.001). No patients reported adverse effects. It has been concluded that during an episode of tonsillitis, the number of days to resolution was significantly lower after the application of an osteopathic manipulation of the T9-T10 vertebrae, compared to a sham manipulation. The number of subsequent year tonsillitis episodes was greatly reduced in both groups, significantly more in the OMG than in the CG patients.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To identify the immediate and middle-term effects of the right carotid sinus compression technique on blood pressure and heart rate in hypertensive patients. DESIGN: Randomized blinded experimental study. SETTINGS: Primary health centers of Cáceres (Spain). SUBJECTS: Sixty-four medicated patients with hypertension were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 33) or to a control group (n = 31). INTERVENTION: In the intervention group a compression of the right carotid sinus was applied for 20 sec. In the control group, a placebo technique of placing hands on the radial styloid processes was performed. OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure and heart rate were measured in both groups before the intervention (preintervention), immediately after the intervention, 5 min after the intervention, and 60 min after the intervention. RESULTS: The intervention group significantly decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate immediately after the intervention, with a large clinical effect; systolic blood pressure remained reduced 5 min after the intervention, and heart rate remained reduced 60 min after the intervention. No significant changes were observed in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Right carotid sinus compression could be clinically useful for regulating acute hypertension.
