What is visceral manipulation?
Visceral Manipulation is based on osteopathic principles and focuses on locating and resolving abnormal tension (s) of connective tissue that can link the organs (viscera) of the body to various tightnesses in the musculoskeletal system. When there are abnormal tensions in these connective tissues, it can affect the physiological functioning of an organ as well as the structural integrity of the body. Correcting these imbalances through visceral manipulation can alleviate chronic irritation and stress, which may be responsible for disease or pain in the body.
Our viscera are made of connective tissue aka fascia, which are composed of superficial and deep layers of fascia as well as muscles and ligaments. These visceral fascial layers have various connections to muscles, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels and are treated as one continuous unit of tissue throughout the body. By smoothing out tensions in the visceral fascial, layers that may be inhibiting the proper functioning of muscles, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels, Visceral Manipulation often enhances the functioning of the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, increases circulation, and therefore improves the way our organs work.
How does tightness in and around the viscera cause pain and problems in the body?
The function of the viscera relies on the ability to have free and unrestricted movement. This occurs within and around all the organs and each organ has a fascial or ligamentous connection to the musculoskeletal system. Your body is a web of interconnected tissues and each one of your organs relies on freedom of movement. When you have a tightness or an adhesion (stickiness) between two tissues or organs there is a lack of free movement. This results in a decreased functioning due to an alteration in the actual structure.
If you consider all the different connections between organs, muscles, and bones in your body, you will experience millions of different movements each day around your organs. Humans take about 24,000 breaths a day and your heart beats about 120,000 times a day, and most muscles in our body are needed thousands of times throughout the day depending on your activity levels.
Imagine an adhesion that causes friction between a muscle and an organ caused by an injury, poor postural habits, and/or repetitive motions, and how much stress and strain it can put on these structures. If the organ and muscle are both being repetitively irritated thousands of times a day, throughout normal everyday activities, then you can conceive that over time this could create significant issues in the body.
Now, instead of the natural flow of interconnected movements, you have an abnormal region that will affect movements on all sides of it. Due to millions of interdependent movements occurring each day this one “simple” adhesion can have broad implications, magnified over time by the millions of repetitions over days, weeks, and months. Adhesions can develop due to many factors: trauma, dehydration of tissues, surgery, infections, inflammation, and all forms of stress.
How to treat pain that is caused by visceral tension?
Typically, Visceral pain does not resolve on its own despite self care techniques such as rest, ice, heat, and pain medications. This is due to the simple fact that tissue will often bunch up into tight spots that the body can’t dissipate naturally. Pharmaceutical pain medications and basic self-help first aid may relieve the pain temporarily, but it ultimately will not be able to release the 3-D fascial restrictions in and around the viscera. When these restrictions go untreated for long periods of time, there is often a spider web-like strain pattern in various directions making the symptoms even worse over time.
A referred symptom from a visceral restriction may not seem to have an obvious connection, especially since the symptom may be located in a different region in the body far away from this localized tender point. For instance, a tension in your liver may cause right shoulder pain, a tightness in your stomach may cause a left shoulder problem, and a restriction in one or both of your kidneys may cause low back pain. A trained professional in Visceral Manipulation at our Mill Valley, CA, can provide visceral pain relief by locating these adverse tensions and releasing them through mobilizing and stretching the fascia in and around the organ to restore optimal health and function to the body.
Visceral restrictions can manifest in the body for various reasons including acute stress and strain from physical and emotional trauma, postural imbalances, or from repetitive strain on the body. The goal of Visceral Manipulation at our Mill Valley, CA practice is to relieve these organ related fascial restrictions through manual therapy by gently gliding, stretching and smoothing out the different layers of tissue, in order to normalize the tensions between the musculoskeletal system and these visceral layers.
When these visceral fascial layers are free and clear of restrictions, your body has better range of motion, and in turn, is better equipped to be active in life and have fun engaging in exercise, outdoor activities, and all that comes with an active lifestyle.
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Our dedicated Mill Valley, CA therapeutic massage therapists will conduct a physical evaluation to determine if Visceral Manipulation will be a beneficial part of your treatment plan. If you are interested in learning more about Visceral manipulation and how it may benefit you.
