Visceral Manipulation releases connective tissue restrictions in the abdomen, pelvis and thorax and can help many musculoskeletal issues.
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Visceral manipulation is a form of abdominal massage which focuses on restoring movement by releasing connective tissue adhesions in the adbomen and chest. The tissues within the abdomen, including organs, must be able to slide and glide over each other to facilitate breath and movement. For the diaphragm to descend properly, the organs must be able to move out of the way, Even slight restrictions in the connective tissue layers that protect and organize the pelvis, abdomen and thorax can impede the function of organs, nerves and blood vessels, which in turn can restrict movement and function throughout the body.
There are many causes of restrictions within the abdomen and thorax. Car accidents and traumas create a whiplash effect on organs and strain the connective tissue layers. Surgery in the abdomen or thorax, including a C-section, cuts through the layers of connective tissue and disrupts its tone and flexibility. Child birth places strains on all the structures of the abdomen. Long period of immobility or illness may also lead to tension or strain in connective tissues. Visceral manipulation was developed by a French osteopath, Jean Pierre Barral. Visceral manipulation can have a strong impact on joints and musculoskeletal issues.Restrictions tissue around the liver often affects the right shoulder girdle, while restrictions around the stomach and spleen have the same effect on the left shoulder. Fascial restrictions around the kidneys can compress nerves going into the groin and leg. Persistent issues with the shoulders, hip, knees and legs which fail to improve with corrective exercise or physical therapy may indicate a visceral restrictions are released - in fact many muscoloskeletal issues have a visceral component. People who receive visceral work are often surprised when a few minutes of light, pain-free work on their abdominal area releases long-standing tension in their shoulders or allows a problematic leg to move more freely.
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What's a session like?Both visceral and neural manipulation are done on a table. In contrast to a massage, where you are covered by a sheet, for visceral and neural manipulation you wear light, loose clothes - usually underwear or loose gym shorts.
The session starts with an assessment. We discuss what issues you have had and then, using a visual assessment, feeling for tension, and using some movements that might stress different structures we help locate where restrictions are and what work we need to do. The work is done primarily on the massage table, but we often do work in the seated position. Generally, the therapist contacts the tissue, they then may move your body in slightly to either put it into ease or a light tension which encourages it to relax on its own. The pressure is often very light. Many times people do not feel much happening on the table However, because it is specific it can have powerful results. It might take a day or two, or even longer, to fully feel the results. Depending on the what the underlying issue was, clients might report increased range of motion, reduction of pain, easier breath, or more openness. . Some clients report more pain the night or day after the session, or something "off" in their stomach. This reaction usually resolves in 1-2 days. |
Can visceral manipulation help me?
This work is powerful and used by osteopaths to treat a wide range of conditions. In my practice I commonly use it for the following conditions:
This work can also be highly beneficial for those with more complicated medical conditions and specific issues such as incontinence, irregular menses, vaginal pain and erectile dysfunction. These conditions are outside of my scope of practice. There are therapists specialized in the pelvic region and trained in visceral manipulation who can help you with these issues.
- Frozen shoulder or other shoulder issues
- Limited mobility and rotation of legs, knee pain or joint issues
- Chronic back pain that resists improvement with exercise
- Groin and hip issues
- Continued aches and pains or feeling things are "not quite right" after childbirth, diastasis recti
- Restrictions to breath
- Sciatic type pain or other nerve issues
- Reflux and some GI issues, constipation
- Balancing tensions & releasing restricted tissue post surgery or traumatic accident
This work can also be highly beneficial for those with more complicated medical conditions and specific issues such as incontinence, irregular menses, vaginal pain and erectile dysfunction. These conditions are outside of my scope of practice. There are therapists specialized in the pelvic region and trained in visceral manipulation who can help you with these issues.