Visceral Manipulation
Visceral Manipulation
What is visceral manipulation? Viscera is another word for organs. Manipulation, in the french language, means to touch. This strategy of treatment was developed by Jean-Pierre through the Barral and Upledger Institute. It is a gentle hands on approach to help facilitate the natural motility to your organs.
The viscera, aka your organs are housed in 2 cavities: your thoracic and your abdominal cavity. If you have had an infection or surgery, an organ may lose it's natural motility. This loss in motility can create trouble with pressure down the chain. Your core, diaphragm, and pelvic floor have to accommodate for these changes in pressure and may be compensating. We can treat your pelvic floor all day but if we don't treat what is causing a reaction to your pelvic floor, your symptoms will return.
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Population Specific Indications
Who can benefit?
Endometriosis: Endometriosis is uterine like tissue that develops outside of the uterus creating scar tissue to all your available organs. The organs around your pelvic cavity including your cecum, appendix, sigmoid colon, and ureters can become scarred. Visceral manipulation is a gentle approach to facilitating motility around this area in the body.
Diastasis recti: diastasis recti refers to an elongation of tissue around your rectus abdominus muscle (a superficial 6 pack muscle in the front of your body). When the illiocecal region (an area of the small intestines) does not have motion, it can create more pressure to the abdominal muscles sitting above it.
Painful menses: Pain with menstruation can be due to a number of factors. But did you know in about 70% of women, there is a ligament that connects your cecum to your right ovary called the ligament of Cleyet.
Incontinence: Did you know the liver connects into the belly button and so does the bladder? Therefore, there is a direct connection of your liver to your bladder. Reduced motility in the liver can contribute to bladder dysfunctions leading to urinary leakage.
Prolapse: There are 2 organs that sit right below your diaphragm (your primary breathing muscle). If these organs cannot move appropriately and you are increasing pressure on inhalation, there will a pressure problem below. Prolapse is laxity to the pelvic organs due to a pressure problem. These organs may be key culprits.
Constipation: The digestive tract is vast and has many players including the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine, leading into the sigmoid colon, and the rectum. Facilitating appropriate sphincter coordination and peristalsis (gut movement) can help people improve bowl movements.
Post Pregnancy: The fetus takes up space in the pelvic cavity thus creating changes in motility to all organs. After pregnancy, facilitating normal motility through the abdomen can be key to unlocking "belly" as opposed to "chest" breathing and better core activation.
Neck Pain: the nerve roots that control our organs are located in the neck, aka your cervical spine. Helping an organ restore it's motility can greatly impact neck pain. Organs can refer pain to other areas of the body. An example, is you may have shoulder pain when having a heart attack. If you have seen providers for neck pain without success, visceral manipulation may be able to help you.
Hip flexor tendinitis: Your small intestines are immediately in front of your illiopsoas (your hip flexors). Pain or dysfunction to your small intestines can refer to the front of your hip. If you have tried traditional orthopedic therapy and the symptoms are still there, visceral therapy may be playing into your symptoms.
Low back pain: The root of the mesentary of your small intestine connects to your spine. When someone can't bend forward, sometimes this region is locked. This can happen because of an infection, problems with nutritional absorption, or simply use of antibiotics.
Is this safe for women Who are pregnant?
Yes, your provider will not "force" movement but have a light touch over the organ to facilitate it's natural motility. Your provider may also address sphincter dysfunction through your stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
How many sessions are needed?
The great news is 2-4 sessions can be enough, as this technique is just reminding the brain to connect with your organs through the central nervous system. The organs have a myofascial memory from embryologic development, and will return to this movement with a little assist from your provider. No exercises needed.