Visceral Manipulation: Treating the Organs

There are basically two motions: mobility and motility. Mobility is an organ’s ability to move in response to the body in motion, such as during walking or in response to the movement of the diaphragm during respiration. Motility is an inherent motion of the organ and is a memory of the spiraling movements that occur during embryological development. All the viscera have movement patterns - liver, stomach, esophagus, kidneys, uterus, bladder and intestines.

Osteopathic Practitioners are masters of palpation, which allows us to sense organ movement by placing our hands on the body. The body draws us towards an organ that has restricted motion. Restrictions and adhesions can be caused by traumas like car accidents, fascial tensions, infections, inflammatory conditions and surgeries. Organ function can be impaired and over time can bring about significant changes, both to the organ and to related structures

• A reduction in bladder frequency at night can occur after a release of tensions in the ligaments and fascia supporting your bladder.

• Freeing up the ligaments that suspend your lung can impact tingling sensations in your hand. These ligaments can become compressed in the thoracic outlet region of your neck and shoulder.

• Tension in the ileocecal valve near the appendix can tug on the right side of your sacrum and make that pelvic correction difficult to hold.

Osteopathic Practitioners have studied anatomy from the inside out.

“As she releases tight spots in my abdomen I feel my head becoming more centered and my neck muscles releasing. She pokes and prods in all the right spots and in places I didn’t even know I had trouble.”

-Betty B.