Jennifer Yanhua Xie, Ph.D., an assistant professor of basic sciences at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) was awarded a grant spanning several years for a total of $428,400. This grant, given by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be used to study the possibility of migraine management and prevention through osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMM).
According to research conducted by the National Headache Foundation, one out of every six Americans suffers from chronic headaches. This information, and the fact that there is no absolute cure for migraines, stresses the importance of funding for this type of research.
Xie will work closely with the chair of NYITCOM at Arkansas State’s Department of OMM, Regina Fleming, along with NYITCOM medical students. The team will recreate human migraine pain in rats, via injections that trigger pain reactions.
The team will then attempt to relieve these migraine symptoms in the rodents by applying OMT techniques. OMT is the therapeutic application of manual pressure to treat aches and pains in the joints, tissues, and muscles of the body. OMT is broad in treatment usage, from headaches, arthritis, and pain in areas such as the lower back, neck, shoulders, and knees.
OMT is a non-invasive and medication-free solution, and can be administered safely alongside other medical treatments to improve one’s condition.
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