Rooted in the 19th century, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) offers a hands-on, nonpharmacologic approach that
emphasizes self-healing. This literature review examines whether OMM is an effective alternative for ketamine injections,
a treatment introduced in the 1960s, in pain management. Current literature focuses primarily on these treatments independently, with limited comparative studies. To address this, a systematic review was conducted comparing the efficacy of
OMM and ketamine injections for musculoskeletal and neurologic pain. The review included studies published in the last
10 years reporting pain reduction outcomes. Searches were performed in PubMed and Open Evidence using keywords like
“OMM,” “ketamine,” “chronic pain,” and “musculoskeletal pain.” Studies not focusing on musculoskeletal or neurologic
pain or lacking pain reduction data were excluded. Key findings indicate that OMM significantly reduces pain and improves
function in conditions such as chronic low back pain, neck pain, and tension headaches. OMM was also associated with
higher patient satisfaction, especially in chronic low back pain, where patients reported sustained pain relief, improved mobility, and a better quality of life. In contrast, ketamine injections provided rapid pain relief but were linked to side effects
such as dissociation and cardiovascular issues, resulting in mixed satisfaction. These findings suggest that OMM may be a
preferable long-term option for pain management, particularly for patients seeking sustained relief without the side effects
of pharmacologic treatments. However, the limited number of direct comparative studies highlights the need for further
research to better understand the relative benefits and risks of OMM versus ketamine injections.
