Visceral manipulation is the process of massaging and manipulating deep tissue to improve the functioning of the various organs in the abdominal cavity. Visceral manipulation is believed to increase circulation to the affected body parts and it is also used to remove adhesions that may restrict movement, cause discomfort and increase tension in the affected area of the body.

Massaging the visceral organs is also believed to help relieve physical and mental stress, and help strengthen the body’s resistance to disease.

Joanne Enslin and associates offers treatment using Visceral Manipulation techniques, as well as training in Barral Institute Visceral Manipulation courses in South Africa.

Visceral Manipulation is used to locate and solve problems throughout the body. It encourages your own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your organs, dissipate the negative effects of stress, enhance mobility of the musculoskeletal system through the connective tissue attachments, and influence general metabolism.

Gentle manipulation of the visceral support system can improve organ function. More importantly, strain can be taken out of the visceral support membranes as a highly effective way of treating musculoskeletal problems. As an example, ligaments supporting the lungs connect to the middle scalene muscles in the neck and to the sides of the lowest 1-3 vertebrae in the neck. By this route, restrictions in the lung support membranes (pleura) routinely create neck strain.

Visceral Manipulation Technique

Visceral Manipulation is based on the specific placement of soft manual forces to encourage the normal mobility, tone and motion of the viscera and their connective tissues. These gentle manipulations can potentially improve the functioning of individual organs, the systems the organs function within, and the structural integrity of the entire body.

Harmony and health exist when motion is free and excursion is full – when motion is not labored, overexcited, depressed, or conflicting with neighboring structures and their mobility. Therapists using Visceral Manipulation assess the dynamic functional actions as well as the somatic structures that perform individual activities. They also evaluate the quality of the somatic structures and their functions in relation to an overall harmonious pattern, with motion serving as the gauge for determining quality.

Due to the delicate and often highly reactive nature of the visceral tissues, gentle force precisely directed reaps the greatest results. As with other methods of manipulation that affect the body deeply, Visceral Manipulation works only to assist the forces already at work. Because of that, trained therapists can be sure of benefiting the body rather than adding further injury or disorganization.

How Visceral Manipulation works

Visceral Manipulation is used to locate and solve problems throughout the body. It encourages your own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your organs, dissipate the negative effects of stress, enhance mobility of the musculoskeletal system through the connective tissue attachments, and influence general metabolism.

Today, a wide variety of healthcare professionals perform Visceral Manipulation. Practitioners include osteopathic physicians, allopathic physicians, doctors of chiropractic, doctors of Oriental medicine, naturopathic physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists and other licensed body workers.

Conditions treated by Visceral Manipulation

Visceral Manipulation has been found to be beneficial for a wide variety of conditions and disorders, including:

Acute Disorders

  • Whiplash
  • Seatbelt Injuries
  • Chest or Abdominal Sports 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

Musculoskeletal Disorders

  • Somatic-Visceral Interactions
  • Chronic Spinal Dysfunction
  • Headaches and Migraines
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Peripheral Joint Pain
  • Sciatica

Pain Related to

  • Post-operative Scar Tissue
  • Post-infection Scar Tissue
  • Autonomic Mechanisms

Pediatric Issues

  • Constipation and Gastritis
  • Persistent Vomiting
  • Vesicoureteral Reflux
  • Infant Colic

Emotional Issues

  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder