Osteopathy

Here we look at the claims for osteopathy.

Version: 2.1 Last updated: April 2023 To be reviewed: November 2025

Treatment details

Type

Alternative medicine

1

Safety

Regarded as safe

2

Efficacy

No or limited evidence that it is effective

Recommended?

No

Claims for treatment

Reduces or removes the perception of tinnitus.

What is the treatment?

Physical manipulation, stretching and massage.

What are the downsides of this treatment?

Generally regarded as safe[1].

Cost – most people pay for osteopathy treatment privately.

Has there been research into this treatment?

Very little research has been conducted into osteopathy for tinnitus.

What does the research say?

The very limited evidence suggests that osteopathic treatment may have greater effects in people with postural or somatic problems[2].

No benefit was seen in people with noise induced tinnitus[3].

Although independent evidence is very limited, what there is does not show that osteopathy is effective for tinnitus, although manual manipulations may be effective for somatic tinnitus. Further research is required.

Osteopathy is not mentioned as a potential treatment in three current tinnitus guidelines[4-6].

Tinnitus UK

Comments

In the UK, osteopathy is a health profession regulated by UK law[7].

Osteopathy

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Download the full information sheet on osteopathy (320.7KB pdf)

All online references accessed 1 November 2022 unless noted.

1. NHS. Safety and regulation – Osteopathy. www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteopathy/safety/

2. Amanda B, Manuela M, Antonia M, Claudio M, Gregorio B. Posturography measures and efficacy of different physical treatments in somatic tinnitus. International Tinnitus Journal. (2010).
16(1):44-50.

3. Mazzoli, M. Complementary Tinnitus Therapies. In: Møller, AR, Langguth, B, De Ridder, D, Kleinjung, T. (eds) Textbook of Tinnitus. (2011). doi.org/10.1007/978-1-
60761-145-5_92

4. Tunkel DE, Bauer CA, Sun GH, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. (2014) 151(2_suppl): S1-S40.
doi:10.1177/0194599814545325

5. Cima RFF, Mazurek B, Haider H. et al. A multidisciplinary European guideline for tinnitus: diagnostics, assessment, and treatment. HNO 67, 10–42 (2019).
doi:10.1007/s00106-019-0633-7

6. National Guideline Centre (UK). Tinnitus: assessment and management: NICE Guideline [NG155]. (2020) Mar. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng155

7. NHS. Osteopathy. www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteopathy/