Manual Therapies
Visceral Manipulation
Gentle release of tension in the ligaments that hold the organs.
Visceral Manipulation is a gentle but relatively deep tissue therapy focused on ensuring that the organs move and glide freely — often addressing restrictions caused by trauma such as accidents or falls.
What is it?
Visceral Manipulation involves the release of tension in the ligaments of the organs in the body. It is a gentle, but relatively deep tissue therapy with the entire emphasis on making sure that the organs move and glide freely. Frequently the cause of the lack of motion in the organs is due to severe trauma to the body (car accidents, falls, and similar events).
This therapy has been practised for centuries, originally developed in China and Tibet. It has more recently undergone considerable research and refinement by French osteopath Dr Jean-Pierre Barral, who trains practitioners internationally and was featured in Time magazine as one of the next wave of alternative medicine's innovators.
What can I expect?
Sessions can last anywhere from 20–45 minutes. The therapist will do a lot of "listening" with their hands initially. Then they will either have you sit up or lie down, and use their hands to locate the ligaments of an organ that is restricted in motion. At this point they gently encourage those ligaments to release their tension and return the organ to a more balanced position.
Reported benefits
Visceral manipulation is extremely relaxing. When working with the organs, the body appears to release serotonin, a feel-good neurotransmitter.
"In a single day, your internal organs move 30,000 times. Your liver alone travels 600 metres."
Barral has anecdotal evidence that Visceral Manipulation helps with a variety of problems, from chronic back and joint pain to indigestion, infection, incontinence and migraines.
Curious whether this is right for you?
These approaches are used as part of a personalised, whole-person plan. Content here is educational and non-diagnostic.