Visceral Manipulation (VM)
What is Visceral Manipulation (VM)?
- "Viscera" relates to the internal organs of the body, such as the liver, kidneys and intestines.
- VM is a gentle manual
therapy that aids your body's ability to release restrictions and
unhealthy compensations that cause pain and dysfunction.
- VM does not
focus solely on the site of pain or dysfunction, but evaluates the
entire body to find the source of the problem.
- Dr. Kateri Porto feels
for altered or decreased motion within the viscera, as well as
restrictive patterns throughout the body and then applies VM
techniques.
- VM therapy re-establishes the body's ability to adapt and restore itself to health
How Do Organs Contribute to Pain & Dysfunction?
Your body is made up of many interrelated components such as bones, muscles, nerves, a thin connective tissue called fascia, as well as the internal organs (viscera). Your organs are in perpetual motion. When you breathe, walk and stretch, your organs move in your chest and abdomen. For example, when you take a breath, your kidneys move one inch; and with deep inhalation, they move 4 inches. In a day, they move a little over 1/2 mile. That around 19,000 miles in a lifetime!
This movement of organs is transmitted through fascia to other structures of the body. When you are healthy, all the structures move with an interconnected fluidity. All of this movement is important as it influences activities throughout the body from the tiniest cellular pulsations to rhythmic contractions of the heart and blood flow. Optimum health relies on a harmonious relationship between the motions of the organs and other structures of the body.
Thre are many reasons for an organ to lose its mobility: physical traumas, surgeries, sedentary lifestyle, infections, pollution, bad diet, poor posture and pregnancy/delivery. When an organ is no longer freely mobile but is fixed to another structure, the body is forced to compensate. This disharmony creates fixed, abnormal points of tension and the chronic irritation gives way to functional and structural problems throughout the body--musculoskeletal, vascular, nervous, urinary, respiratory and digestive, to name a few.
Imagine scar tissue around the lungs. Because of the pull of the adhesion, with every breath, the movement patterns of the nearby structures would be altered. This could shift rib motion creating pulls on the spine. These restrictions might then show up as mid-back and neck pain, as well as limited motion in the shoulder. This scenario highlights just one of the hundreds of possible ramifications of a small dysfunction--magnified by thousands of repetitions each day. This also explains how pain can often be far removed from the actual cause.
VM can benefit:
- Acute Disorders: Whiplash, seat-belt, sports injuries
- Musculoskeletal Disorders: Headaches/Migraines, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Back, Hip & Knee pain, Sciatica
- Digestive issues: Bloating, Constipation, Acid Reflux, Swallowing Dysfunctions
- Pain related to: Post-operative and/or Post-infection Scar Tissue
- Sexual Health issues: Chronic Pelvic Pain, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Cysts, Dysmenorrhea, Bladder Incontinence, Prostate Dysfunction
- Pediatric Issues: constipation, Gastritis, Reflux, Vomiting, Colic
- Emotional Issues: Anxiety, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- And much more