Visceral Manipulation and Osteopathy with Lemlem Mebrahtu
October 9, 2024 - By Lemlem Mebrahtu
What is Visceral Manipulation and Osteopathy, and how do these therapeutic approaches work together to promote holistic health and healing?
Our Osteopath practitioner, Lemlem Mebrahtu, explains in today’s blog post, that Visceral Manipulation focuses on gently restoring movement and function to the body’s internal organs, while Osteopathy emphasizes the interconnectedness of the body's systems, creating a powerful synergy that enhances overall well-being and supports the body’s natural healing processes.
Visceral Manipulation deals with the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system and your internal organs. Anytime a person suffers strain or stress, the deep structures in their body clench protectively. Trauma such as that caused by in impact can also affect the tissues and organs as the strength of the blow passes through the body.
Many times, issues with mobility and pain in one area are caused by a problem that is located far away from those locations. One example is when a pain in the neck is caused by a problem in the upper ribs or cervical vertebrae. Another example is when a person’s liver causes chronic tension, creating a negative side effect on their lungs.
The Soft Organs – Viscera
The organs and their soft membranes are called viscera. These slippery surfaces attach to the spine and body cavities by ligaments. Anytime you move your spine, any organs that are attached to it also move. The placement of your internal organs must be in such a way that you can bend and twist. Your diaphragm must also have ample space to support your breathing. The ligaments that support your organs determine how they can move. Infections, trauma, adhesions, and surgery may restrict the movement of your organs.
Anytime your viscera are unable to properly move, it will result in pain or stiffness in other areas of your body. When you feel pain during regular movements, or if you hear creaking noises in your body, take that as a sign that there may be a problem. The longer these signs persist, the more strain your body will feel. When your body is under strain, you will feel more and more fatigued and unwell.
Visceral Restrictions:
Your posture will often signal that there is a visceral restriction somewhere in your body. Any time an organ is unable to move correctly, it will create tension points in your body. As your body tries to move around these points of tension, it becomes apparent in your posture. A person will often only notice this when someone points out that they are not standing or sitting straight. Upon correcting their posture, they will notice stiff movements or difficulty moving.
Any tension in the front of your body will cause you to bend forward, while tension in one of your sides causes you to twist in that direction. In Visceral Osteopathy, it is commonly said that the body will hug the lesion, which means that your body will gather itself around the affected area.
Visceral Manipulation:
One way to solve or locate issues in the body is through Visceral Manipulation. This form of healing uses your own body to improve how your organs function. It also helps to get rid of the side effects of stress, build your disease resistance, and improve your overall health.
Visceral Manipulation is the application of gentle manual force. This force is used to help restore mobility, motion, and tone of the connective tissue and your viscera. These manual manipulations may also help boost the efficiency of the organs themselves. It can also help improve the structural integrity of the body and improve the systems in which your organs are contained.
What is Visceral Osteopathy?
Visceral Osteopathy is the use of hands-on therapeutic techniques that help correct the function or placement of the organs. Every organ has its own unique movement. When there is a disturbance to the natural rhythm, it can result in a failure of functionality, pain, and even lead to the development of various diseases. Organ movement is also relative to other organs, which means that one facing stress can result in a system-wide problem.
Prior to treatment, an osteopath will first locate the current position of the patient’s organs. Upon pinpointing the location, level of mobility, and the condition of the surrounding ligaments and muscle tissues will be evaluated. Once all of the factors are evaluated, a unique treatment plan will be created to address the findings.
What Does Visceral Osteopathy Treat?
The goal of the treatment is to restore the original organ placement, boost the ligament strength, and improve fluid circulation. Another advantage of visceral osteopathy is that diseases will cease to develop thanks to the body’s self-healing function being triggered.
• Back pain
• Sciatica and disc problems
• Head, neck and shoulder pain
• Frozen shoulder, rotator cuff problems
• Pain in joints and limbs
• Tennis and golfer’s elbow
• Neuralgia and sinus pain
• Arthritis and rheumatism
• Nerve irritation
• TMJ
• Spondylosis and tension pain
• Stress related conditions
• Digestive and breathing problems
• Headaches and migraines
• Sports injuries
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Whiplash injuries
• Pregnancy and associated problems
• Gynecological diseases
• Ptosis
• Insomnia
• Adhesions
• Liver and kidney disorders
• Genitourinary system dysfunction
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Disorders in liver and kidneys
• Varicose veins
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Swallowing difficulties
• Incontinence
• Back and neck pain
By integrating Visceral Manipulation with Osteopathy, Lemlem Mebrahtu empowers individuals to achieve a deeper understanding of their health, paving the way for holistic healing and a more vibrant life.
Book in with Lemlem and feel the difference today!