Visceral Manipulation: Organs Do More Than Organ Related Functions
Has anyone mentioned how your organs do much more other than their associated functions?
Organs are in constant motion.
Motion is a key factor for the universe, nature, and in our own human bodies! Movement is life! Our bodies need movement for optimal health.
Organs not only move up and down with every breath you take but they also move with digestion, body movement, and have their own rhythmical movement too.
Let’s start with motion and movement!
Optimal health involves a harmonious relationship between the organs and the rest of the body, which means the viscera (or internal organs) need to fully move and slide and glide for their health and function AND for the function of the whole body.
When organ movement is limited for a variety of reasons (ie. injuries, accidents, inflammation, surgery, infection, environment, emotions, altered microbiome, etc.), it can affect function in other areas of the body by way of our tissues’ interconnectedness and communication.
For example, someone may have liver challenges due to inflammation or physical injury that results in restrictions, which limit its own mobility and motility leading to altered liver function. In addition, the limited motion of the liver may cause tugging on ligaments and fascia that are connected to the diaphragm and right shoulder. Hence, right shoulder pain or restricted range of motion may be related to liver restrictions.
To summarize, our organs move with breath, digestion, and body movement, however if an organ becomes restricted, it can not only affect the function of the organ, but also it can pull on surrounding tissues causing compensatory pain and altered function in unseemingly unrelated areas of the body.
From another perspective, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), organs store emotions which have an impact on our health.
For example, emotions may translate into spasms in the abdominal area causing nausea, ulcers, heartburn, etc. and conversely, physical problems with an organ can create its associated emotion. There may be a cycle between the brain and the organ communicating the emotion and tension back and forth similar to the pain/spasm cycle in the musculoskeletal world. There are ways to break the cycle and restore balance to the organs and emotions.
What can visceral manipulation do for you?
Visceral Manipulation is a gentle manual therapy designed to help organs move smoothly and return to their normal movement and function leading to improved communication between the body and the brain and overall health. Specifically, it may affect cellular hydration, tissue mobility, pressure and tension between and within organs, and blood, nerve, and lymphatic flows.
Visceral manipulation can help:
Sports injuries
Concussion
Injuries from accidents, falls
Back pain
Joint pain
Post surgery recovery
GI issues - bloating, constipation, nausea, GERD, swallowing
Urogenital issues - fibroids, pelvic pain
Scoliosis
Headache and migraines
Fibromyalgia
Sleep
Chronic fatigue
Immune disorders
And more!
What is a session like?
There are specific evaluation techniques designed to find the area of greatest restriction based upon what the body is prioritizing. Once this area is found, gentle compression and mobilization of the soft tissues and associated areas is performed to induce a release of the restriction and allow the body’s wisdom to take it from there. This work is ideally performed on the skin around loose fitting clothing and can take 45 to 90 minutes per session.
How many sessions does it take?
Each person is unique given their age, activity level, state of health, etc. so the number of visits will vary. Many people report improvement of symptoms within 3-5 sessions, while others may need additional sessions. A plan will be made based on your needs and how you respond to the work.
To find a therapist near you, please click here.
For more information, please visit the Barral Institute.
“The purpose of visceral manipulation is to recreate, harmonize and increase proprioceptive communication in the body to enhance its internal mechanism for better health.” ”