Visceral Manipulation
A gentle and safe hands-on treatment technique which aims to restore and improve optimal function of your internal organs also known as ‘viscera’ and the connective tissue around them.
Our organs move with us so when you turn to the right, for example, your liver, gall bladder and ascending colon move with you. Some of your organs move a little, like your liver and kidneys which move slightly up and down with your diaphragm when your breathe, and some of your organs can move a lot, like your small and large intestine that moves with peristalsis to enable food to travel through your gut and lengthen when you stretch sideways or rotate. Visceral manipulation encourages healthy movement of the organ being treated and the surrounding organs too.
Restrictions caused by surgery, infection, injury or inactivity are manipulated using a mixture of gentle compression, massage and release of organ or tissue tightness. In the case of digestive problems, this can help to maintain proper movement and rhythm of digestive organs which, in turn, can make you feel more comfortable. Many patients report how relaxing it is at the time.
It is a post-graduate speciality and all osteopaths at the Wimbledon Osteopath are skilled and experienced in this field.
What are the benifits?
Visceral manipulation has been found beneficial for symptoms of:
- Digestive ailments such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Indigestion, reflux and hiatus hernia
- Wind
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Improves breathing
- Stress relief
- Aids recovery from chest infections
- Decrease pain and aid relaxation
- Improve circulation to lower limbs
- Urinary tract infections
- Perineal pain
- C-section scar tissue
- Post surgery scar tissue pain
- Ptosis or kidney/stomach/liver
Most importantly it is a great adjunct to treatment for back and neck pain, headaches and sciatica.
In babies and children it helps with colic, constipation, reflux and sleeping issues.
Emotional stress can influence digestive health. Scientists are only starting to understand the link between our brain and gut and how one can influence the health of the other. Remember getting the runs before an exam, constipation when traveling or heartburn after a stressful family meal. This just shows that mind and body cannot be separated. By using visceral manipulation, our Osteopaths can assist in providing a more complete, pain relief treatment package.
Why is it important to work on scar tissue?
Scar tissue is an important part of the body’s natural healing process but it can hinder blood and nutrient flow. Scar tissue acts like glue that plugs holes however it can become too tight and can ultimately restrict normal movement of the affected organ.
This in turn can affect other neighbouring tissues, joint mobility and even muscle length. This can result, in the case of an appendectomy, in the scar tissue influencing gut motility, pelvic movement or even lumbar spine mechanics. This is why it can be a very important part of treatment to address the abdomen or viscera.
