Visceral massage for adults

A special type of massage is visceral. This is a gentle effect on the body with hands, which helps to get rid of pain and certain problems with internal organs. The main concepts of visceral massage are built on the impact on the whole body. It uses specific techniques to correct imbalances in all organ systems, including the digestive, circulatory, nervous, reproductive, and musculoskeletal systems. In simple terms, visceral massage is a massage of the organs.

These techniques were developed by the French physiotherapist and osteopath Jean-Pierre Barral.

The benefits of visceral massage for adults

Some experts believe that visceral manipulation will be useful to anyone who is willing to try a different approach to treatment. It is assumed that such practices can help in the elimination of acute or chronic back pain, recurrent headache. It is believed that visceral massage can help with whiplash or injury from a car accident, after a sports injury, abdominal surgery, or delivery by caesarean section. It can be used if you have scar tissue on your body from an old injury, are experiencing hip or knee pain, have recently had an ankle sprain, or suffer from chronic pain on a regular basis.

The main advantage of visceral massage, according to some experts, is its potential ability to eliminate or significantly reduce pain and inflammation. It is supposed to help restore body tissues and functions. Indications for such a massage are:

• digestive disorders – bloating, constipation, nausea, acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease and swallowing dysfunction;
• health problems in men and women – chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, fibroids and cysts, dysmenorrhea, urinary incontinence, prostate dysfunction, referred pain in the testicles and the consequences of menopause;
• children’s problems – constipation, gastritis, constant vomiting, vesicoureteral reflux, colic, torticollis;
• emotional problems – anxiety and depression, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Practitioners assure that visceral massage returns body mobility, improves metabolism, the functioning of the nervous system, blood circulation, improves the functioning of the lymphatic and respiratory systems, softening the fascia (organ membranes) that surround each of these structures, thereby reducing pressure on them, and also improving fluid exchange. Ultimately, the breakdown and removal of waste products, the delivery of hormones and nutrients to cells, and inflammation and pain decrease.

Visceral massage has been suggested to improve mood and sleep by increasing levels of serotonin, one of the happy hormones. Overall, visceral manipulation enhances the body’s ability to adapt and restore health, balance, and vitality.

Harm of visceral massage for adults

Visceral manipulation should be enjoyable. But if it is performed by an inexperienced specialist and does not conduct it properly, side effects may occur:

• muscle soreness;
• increased symptoms of existing diseases;
• headache;
• detox effect.

If you are not sure if visceral manipulation is right for you, find a physical therapist to consult with them and discuss your options.

Contraindications for visceral massage for adults

There are very few complete contraindications to visceral massage, but they do exist. These include:

• acute infections;
• inflammation;
• recent injury.

In these cases, you need to postpone the massage – it can overload the body and provoke deterioration.

There are other contraindications:

• swelling;
• bleeding;
• thrombosis;
• perforated ulcer;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• unexplained weight loss;
• aneurysm;
• heart disease or infection.

If there is a suspicion of pregnancy or the presence of an intrauterine device, massage is also inappropriate.

How to do visceral massage for adults at home

It is advisable not to resort to such practices at home – they should be carried out by an experienced specialist. Before a massage, a specialist should conduct a full assessment of your condition to determine which areas should be treated. Most of the manipulations are carried out on the chest, abdomen or in the pelvic region.

If the treatment is aimed at removing scar tissue, you may experience soreness or mild discomfort. However, most say it is a pleasant sensation as it releases tight tissues that can be causing pain. Scar tissue can cause muscle constriction, such as back pain, symptoms of a pinched sciatic nerve, or hip or knee pain.

Some visceral manipulations are performed in the digestive tract or chest, some techniques are deeper, others are lighter. You may feel bubbling, tightness, or even gurgling in your stomach as the tissues begin to relax.

Treatment with visceral massage can be directed to the nerves, arteries, or lymphatics. When performing techniques on these areas, the specialist’s touch is much softer. It may feel like a slight stretch or pressure resulting in a slight tingling, numbness, or heat as blood flow increases in the area.

After the session, you will feel some pain relief. For complete healing, massage should be done every week or at least once every two weeks, until the functions of the body are restored. And, by the way, after each session of visceral massage, you need to drink plenty of water – it helps speed up rehabilitation.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the effectiveness of visceral massage with endocrinologist, sports doctor, rehabilitation specialist Boris Ushakov and doctor of physical therapy and sports medicine, traumatologist-orthopedist, rehabilitation specialistom Georgy Temichev.