Has osteopathic manual therapy been studied as a treatment for PMDD?

Background: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe cyclic mood and somatic disorder causing substantial psychosocial and functional impairment. Although first-line pharmacological treatments such as SSRIs are effective, their side-effect profile highlights the need for non-pharmacological management options. Osteopathic manual therapy (OMT) has shown potential benefits in related conditions, including dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome, anxiety, and depression; however, no reviews have mapped whether OMT has been evaluated for PMDD. Objectives: This scoping review aims to identify and map existing evidence on OMT relevant to the treatment of PMDD symptoms and explore indirect evidence from related menstrual and mood disorders that may inform the potential therapeutic role of OMT. Eligibility Criteria: Using the Population-Concept-Context (PCC) framework, studies will be included if they investigate individuals with PMDD, PMS, dysmenorrhea, menstrual-related mood disorders, or anxiety/depression, report on OMT or conceptually relevant non-pharmacological interventions and are in English and not older than 2015. Sources of Evidence and Search Methods: A comprehensive search will be conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, JBI, PEDro, SAGE, and grey literature. Reference lists of included studies will also be screened. Search terms will combine OMT-related keywords with menstrual and mood-related terminology. Charting Methods: Data will be extracted using a structured charting form capturing study design, population characteristics, intervention type, outcomes, and key findings. Results: Results will be mapped narratively, grouped by diagnosis/symptom profile, intervention category, and outcome domain. Quantitative data will be summarised descriptively. Conclusion: This review will clarify whether OMT has been investigated for PMDD, synthesise indirect evidence from related conditions, highlight research gaps, and inform future clinical research directions regarding OMT as a potential non-pharmacological treatment.

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