How Does An Osteopath Treat Your Organs?

A Deep Dive Into Visceral Manipulation

General listening osteopathic assessment

At its essence, osteopathy pursues body optimisation from top to toe, from internal viscera to external musculoskeletal system and the situations we live in environmentally and socially. Generally, where there is pain or dysfunction an osteopath will seek to find a solution. 

So if this dysfunction or pain comes from the organs, how the hell do we treat it? Well my friends, with visceral osteopathy of course.

The following pictures of two dissections were taken by me two years apart, one in Melbourne and one in Amsterdam. Both of them showed me the substantial space left in the body when the organs are removed. This has had a huge influence on my journey to exploring visceral osteopathy knowing that if I'm only treating the musculoskeletal system I'm missing a significant piece of the puzzle.

What is Visceral Osteopathy?

Visceral osteopathy is a specialised branch of osteopathy that focuses on the internal organs (viscera) and their relationship with the musculoskeletal system. Practitioners believe that the function and mobility of these organs can significantly impact overall health and well-being and promote healing of the body.

Visceral pain can often be described as diffuse, gnawing and constant. It can also feel really deep in the body.  You've likely experienced visceral pain when you have had a stomach bug like gastro or have period pain. Whereas musculoskeletal pain is more likely to be pinpoint, surface level, temporary and often have something that helps it feel better. If you're not addressing the organs that could be referring the pain then you may not have the best outcomes.

How Does Treatment Work?

Visceral osteopathy operates on the premise that the body's systems are interconnected. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

Listening

During assessment practitioners will use their hands to touch areas of your body lightly and listen to the feedback or story that your body is telling. For example when assessing at the head: is the tension pulling your hand high or low, anterior or posterior, left or right?

Treatment

• Palpation: Feeling the organs and surrounding tissues to identify restrictions or imbalances.

• Mobility: Where an organ isn't moving optimally in its anatomical space we address the ligaments, muscles and other surrounding structures to get it to move better. Just like we would with the joints in the musculoskeletal system.

• Motility: Every organ has a certain rhythm it moves in in order to complete its role. For example the large intestine moves and contracts to help move waste through the digestive tract. Gently encouraging this natural movement of the organs can help them work more optimally.

  
  

The goal is to release tension in the fascia and connective tissues surrounding the organs. This can help alleviate pain, improve circulation, and enhance the function of the organs.

Benefits of Visceral Osteopathy

Some potential benefits include:

• Improved digestive function

• Reduced pain and discomfort

• Enhanced mobility and flexibility

• Better emotional well-being

• Decreased back and neck pain

  
  

Visceral osteopathy is a unique approach that emphasises the importance of the internal organs in maintaining overall health. By using gentle manual techniques, practitioners aim to restore balance and function, ultimately contributing to a person’s well-being.

To keep it simple- our visceral anatomy is much the same as our musculoskeletal system in that it has a blood supply, muscles and ligaments that can all be impacted by dysfunction, therefore can be treated by an osteopath.