Effect of Osteopathic Techiniques on Intraocular Pressure

Sperimentale: Upper cervical manipulation group

The patient will be in the supine position. The cephalic hand will make contact with one side of the patient's skull, leaving the sternocleidomastoid muscle between the third and fourth fingers. The caudal hand will make global contact with the patient's skull on the opposite side. The therapist should place his torso on the patient's head, leaving the two forearms aligned with the axis of the patient's spine, as this technique is applied to the axis of the odontoid process of the ax. With neutral flexion-extension the therapist will place the rotation parameter to the opposite side (70-80 degrees) and a small contralateral inclination. Then it will search for the driving barrier with a small axial traction movement. When the driving barrier is found, the thrust should be applied in a helical direction, increasing rotation and traction. It will be applied bilaterally.

Altro: Upper cervical manipulation

The patient will receive an upper cervical manipulation as described in the Experimental Group 1.

Sperimentale: Sphenopalatine ganglion group

The patient will be supine on the bench and the therapist with gloves will sit next to the patient contralateral to the manipulated sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG). One of the therapist's hands will be placed flat in contact with the apex of the patient's head to stabilize it. The patient will be instructed to open his mouth and deviate the mandible laterally to the same side of the ganglion to be treated. The therapist will then apply pressure to the SPG with the fifth finger of your other hand in the patient's mouth, moving up along the alveolar process of the maxilla teeth to reach the pterygoid process. The therapist will keep the patient's head elevated until the lateral pterygoid muscle relaxes. Then, the pressure will be applied into the pterygopalatine fossa. The therapist will then apply gentle pressure on the SPG with the pulp of the fifth finger until tissue relaxation. He will then release the contralateral SPG in the same way.

Altro: Sphenopalatine ganglion manipulation

The patient will receive a sphenopalatine ganglion as described in the Experimental Group 2.

Nessun intervento: Control Group

The patient will lie down on the bench for 10 minutes.

Change of the intraocular pressure after upper cervical manipulation

After this manipulation, it is expected that there will be a sympathetic response increasing the intraocular pressure.

Change of the intraocular pressure after sphenopalatine ganglion manipulation

After this manipulation, it is expected that there will be a parasympathetic response decreasing the intraocular pressure.