Introduction: A 34-year-old female patient presented with a history of low back pain (dull, achy, and non-radiating) that had been present for nearly two-years.
Methods: The patient reported complete relief of her chronic low back pain with her eyes closed or in a darkened room, whereas the pain would return when opening her eyes and particularly in a lightened room, with or without eyeglasses.
Treatment: Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) to the full body and cranium was applied with the patient’s eyes opened, closed, and eyeglasses on and off. Modifications were made to the optometric prescription and eyeglasses to optimise body and cranial function as well as to reduce her low back pain.
Results: The patient noted considerable relief in her low back pain with the new eyeglass prescription, and this relief was sustained regardless of eyes open or closed, and particularly with her eyeglasses on.
Conclusion: This case study illustrates that a subset of patients may present with a clinical condition that either affects vision or where the vision affects the condition, called a visual somatic strain. This demonstrates how collaborative efforts might be made to develop co-treatment opportunities between osteopaths, chiropractors, ophthalmologists, and other allied professionals.
Author keywords: Chiropractic - Osteopathy - Cranial - Visual Somatic Strain - LBP
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