Visceral Manipulation FAQ
Here I will attempt to answer some common questions and concerns most people may have before their first Visceral Manipulation (VM) treatment.
What is the Viscera? Does that mean my organs?
Yes! This form of manual therapy focuses on the internal organs, and their environment. Which means various ligaments and other structures that provide mobility and stability for the organs.
What is Visceral Manipulation?
A manual therapy developed from Jean-Pierre Barral’s clinical work with the viscera. The goal is to listen to the body with soft hands in order to assess where the motion of the organs/viscera may be improperly aligned and correcting it.
How can Visceral Manipulation help me?
If the viscera cannot freely move in its cavity and becomes stuck to another structure, this is called a visceral restriction. This forces our body to compensate leading to a functional problem and eventually, if the compensation isn’t enough, to a structural problem. An example of that can be restrictions in the movement of the small intestine, affecting the mesentery (a supporting structure for the small intestine) which attaches to the posterior wall of the abdomen at the lumbar spine level, contributing to low back pain, and over time problems with the lumbar spine.
Anyone with any abdominal, pelvic, thoracic, or cranial surgeries can also benefit from visceral manipulation because in addition to affecting proper movement of the viscera, scar tissue can also affect the proper positioning of the viscera and organs causing various symptoms.
How can I prepare for my first appointment, and how often should I come in?
I ask women to wear a loose sports bra with minimal fabric with shorts that are not too tight.
Men just need boxer briefs that are not too tight.
And waiting 2-3 weeks in between treatments is recommended because small changes in the viscera can have very wide reaching body wide effects.
Comparative studies found Visceral Manipulation helpful for people with various conditions such as:
Acute disorders: Neck Pain and Whiplash, Seatbelt Injuries, Chest or Abdominal Sports Injuries, Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injuries
Digestive Disorders: Bloating and Constipation, Nausea and Acid Reflux, GERD, Swallowing Dysfunctions
Women’s and Men’s Health Issues: Chronic Pelvic Pain, Endometriosis, Fibroids and Cysts, Dysmenorrhea, Bladder Incontinence, Prostate Dysfunction, Referred Testicular Pain, Effects of Menopause
Emotional Difficulties and Depression: Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Orthopedic Problems: Somatic-Visceral Interactions, Scoliosis, Chronic Pain, Motor-Coordination Impairments, Headaches and Migraines, Fibromyalgia and other Connective Tissue Disorders, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Peripheral Joint Pain, Sciatica, Sports Injuries
Pain Related to: Post-Surgical Dysfunction, Post-Infection Scar Tissue, Autonomic Mechanisms
