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General Rehabilitation

Osteopathic Manipulation to Successfully Treat COPD in a Hospitalized Patient: A Case Report

Saturday, October 25, 2025
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM MT
Location: Kiosk 1
Has Audio

    Poster Presenter(s)

  • Siam Ayon, DO

    Resident Physician
    New York Presbyterian Queens, Burke Rehabiliation Hospital
    Hollis, New York

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Sophia Antimisiaris, DO

    Resident Physician
    Burke Rehabilitation Hospital PM&R Program
    White Plains, New York

  • SS

    Sanath Srivastava, MD

    Chief Resident
    New York Presbyterian Queens
    New York, New York

Disclosure(s):
Sophia Antimisiaris, DO: No financial relationships to disclose
Case Diagnosis: Treating COPD in a hospitalized patient using Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy and conventional medical therapy.

Case Description or Program Description: A 94-year-old female with a history of COPD, pulmonary hypertension, OSA, and dementia was admitted to medical floor with hypoxia requiring HFNC. The patient was treated with DuoNeb, inhaled corticosteroids, empiric antibiotics, and IV steroids. However, patients’ FIO2 requirements remained consistently high. Thus, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) was performed. This included rib raising to improve lung function and reduce respiratory distress; doming of the diaphragm to improve lung capacity; lymphatic drainage, to reduce inflammation and improve immune function; and paraspinal muscle inhibition, to reduce muscle tension and improve breathing.

Setting: General Medical floor

Assessment/Results: One hour after treatment, the patient’s FIO2 requirements decreased. This positive response led to daily manipulation with the same techniques. Within three days, the patient was weaned off to a minimal HFNC setting and was able to tolerate NC for a few hours a day. The patient also reported feeling better, with her daughter noting a significant reduction in the patient's usual agitation.

Discussion (relevance): COPD affects millions of patients yearly with reduced quality of life and increased healthcare costs. While steroids and nebulizers are common practice, the role of OMT is still largely unexplored. However, research has shown that OMT may improve exercise capacity in COPD patients and are well tolerated. While much anecdotal evidence exists, large studies are yet to be performed. In the past, MOPSE protocol has shown the potential of treating pneumonia successfully with OMT, further highlighting the intriguing potential role of OMT in pulmonary rehabilitation.

Conclusions: OMT is often underutilized in the treatment of hospitalized COPD patients. This case study serves as a reminder of its potential and the need for its wider adoption. It can serve as an excellent adjunct to conventional medical therapy for symptom relief and overall health.