BodyTechnician.com → Visceral Massage
Knots in the abdomen can cause abdominal pain, back pain, hip/leg pain, migraines, pain anywhere. Most of the internal organs are muscular (small intestine, large intestine, bladder, gall bladder, heart, spleen, stomach, uterus). These muscular viscera can become tense, causing pain in the abdomen. Trigger points can form in the tense muscle fibers, creating tension and/or referred pain in any other part of the body.
The liver is often hardened and glued to the respiratory diaphragm. Releasing the adhesions allows the diaphragm to move more easily, so breathing deepens. Liver function may improve as well. The liver and gall bladder can have trigger points that refer pain to the neck and shoulders.
Non-muscular organs (kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas) can became hardened. This probably inhibits blood flow. Organs can form trigger points, referring pain and/or tension elsewhere. Viscera can became stuck together (adhesions), inhibiting their movements. They can become stuck to the diaphragm, ribs, pelvis, and spine. Organs are supposed to slide up/down with each breath, getting a little massage each time you breathe. Tense, hardened, glued- together viscera cement you into postural distortion: upper body stooped forward, low back deeply curved, one shoulder pulled down, etc.
Abdominal muscles are massaged first, until they're relaxed enough to permit massage of the organs. Viscera are then massaged to relieve tension, and to gradually separate adhesions. No sudden movements are used. Lying with your knees and hips bent creates slack in the abdominal muscles, allowing deeper treatment.
You'll see in a mirror the distortion in your posture before, and the improvement after. Knock-knees and bow-legs usually become straighter. Protruding abdomens (pot-bellies) flatten. The low back flattens. Your pelvis becomes less tipped forward. The body lengthens. The chest lifts. You'll breathe deeper.
Caffeine makes every muscle in your body tense, including the involuntary muscles in the viscera.
Negative emotions and emotional tension make the viscera become tense.
Food allergies can make the viscera tense and/or hardened. Alcohol and other drugs and toxins make the liver become hardened.
Infections and parasites can make gut tense. Sitting for many hours, especially in bad chairs, can worsen abdominal tension.
Sit-ups, crunches and other abdominal exercises can make the internal organs become tense.
Trauma (accidents, injuries, surgeries) creates tension in the viscera. Even if it's not an injury to the abdomen; the internal organs often become tense after injuries to other parts of the body.
Adhesions Immobility, injury, and inflammation can result in adhesions: layers of tissue becoming 'glued' together. Surgery can create adhesions and scar tissue.
Massage Therapy for Pain Relief · Berkeley · © Jordan Rothstein CMT