Stress axis and osteopathy: A dual hormone approach

Manual therapy initiates a cascade of neurophysiological changes in various systems including the peripheral nervous system, autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. Of particular focus of this review was the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. When faced with a stressor, the HPA axis provides the frontline of defence resulting in the production of cortisol, measurement of which has been shown to be a reliable indicator of HPA axis activity. Manual therapy has been shown to influence the HPA axis.
Source: International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine - Category: Complementary Medicine Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research