At a glance
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Does Manuel Treatment With Craniosacral Therapy Change the Experience of Dry Mouth in People Who Suffers With Dry Mouth After Cancer in Throat Ore Mouth - a Pilot Study
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Craniosacral Therapy and Exercices Targeting Upper Posture and Respiration for Xerostomia Following Radiotherapy and 2 related conditions. Completed, enrolled 11 participants across 2 sites.
Signals
Detailed Summary
The current study aims to assess the efficacy of manual treatment with craniosacral therapy of fascial tissue in throat, neck, cranial and mouth region, on radiation and/or surgery-induced salivary gland hypofunction and xerostomia in patients who have received surgery and/or radiation therapy because of cancer in the throat and mouth regions. The hypothesis of this project is based on a recent clinical case treated by me: I practice as a physiotherapist and craniosacral therapist in a private clinic. The patient in question was treated with craniosarcal techniques (techniques that, in a broad sense, mobilizes the fascia, including meninges, dura, sleeves around the nerve-tissue etc.). He suffered from xerostomia and hyposaliva after neck surgery and radiation therapy four years prior to my treatment. During the second treatment of fascial release of the scar tissue and of the tissue around atlas, axis and occiput the patient strongly felt that his saliva started flowing. He received an additional 3 treatments, with fascial release techniques in neck, throat meninges and mouth regions, and three months after his last treatment the patient still reported much better production of saliva than before start of treatment. Furthermore, the patient reported significant gains in ease of speaking and eating. This project aim to assess if this was only an isolated event or if craniosacral therapy could be an evidence based method to increase saliva production and decrease xerostomia for patients after surgical and radiation therapy.
Study Details
Timeline
Arms & Interventions
The participants will receive 50 minutes of treatment of craniosacral therapy once a week in 5 weeks. The treatment will follow the protocol "avenue of expression" end step 2c and 2c in "Ten step protocol". Instructions in home exercises is given. Before treatment the participants fill in the questionnaire "Xerostomia questionnaire after min 3 months" - a Danish standardized questionnaire of xerostomia used in hospitals. They will fill in this questionnaire again after ending their 5 treatment sessions, and again 6 months later as a follow up. They will also take notes in a diary of any side effects experienced during the treatment period. I will take their full medical history the first time we meet, I will take notes describing my treatment after every treatment session, including notes of the effects (positive and negative) that the participant has noticed.
Interventions
Manual treatment, 5 grams, on the airway system, the throat, the neck, the meninges, the cranial nerve sleeves, the visceral cranium, and the soft tissue in the mouth.
Exercises targeting upper posture and breathing exercises. The exercises is given when the therapist has reached some anatomical milestones in the treatment protocol. For example, an exercise with diaphragmatic breathing is given after manual treatment of diaphragma.