Stress reduction with osteopathy assessed with GDV electrophotonic imaging: effects of osteopathy treatment.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to explore how osteopathy treatments influence certain measurable aspects of the human biofield; namely, various calculated parameters of finger corona discharge patterns produced by high-voltage electrophotography. METHODS The Gas Discharge Visualization camera was used to assess subjects before and after osteopathy treatment. Thirty-three (33) apparently healthy adults (20-56 years old) took part in the study. The patterns of light emitted from the subjects' fingertips were digitally recorded and computer analyzed. Parameters including normalized area, brightness, and right- and left-hand integrals were calculated and statistically compared. RESULTS Most of the recipients of these osteopathic treatments experienced increase in fingertip florescence area and average intensity, reduction in stress levels, and improved blood pressure measurements. With all of these parameters simultaneously improving, the patients received a good benefit from these sessions. CONCLUSIONS Virtually all subjects were in a good mood after treatment. Many of them had pain and muscle tension that disappeared. These changes were reflected in all parameters analyzed, in both psychosomatic and somatic states. Thus, osteopathic manipulations as administered in these two studies provide good, lasting relaxation. This study also provides the interesting observation that daily relaxation practices done by Dr. Paoletti enable him to work hard without additional stress.