Living with digestive dysfunction
If you have ever struggled with digestive problems, you know how disruptive they can be on your daily living. Some of the most common digestive concerns I have seen in patients include:
- abdominal pain after eating
- nausea
- constipation
- diarrhea
- heartburn and reflux
- abdominal bloating
- belching
- trouble digesting fats
To treat digestive dysfunction naturopathically, it involves taking the whole person into account and addressing factors such as diet and lifestyle. It is also important to look at the digestive organs themselves to see if they are functioning properly, and one way to do this is by using visceral manipulation.
If you had the chance to check out my introductory blog about visceral manipulation, you learned each of our abdominal organs has a specific motion pattern. When organs move smoothly, there is healthy organ function. You also learned that factors such as dietary triggers, stress, a history of abdominal surgery or motor vehicle accidents can lead to dysfunction of both organ motion and function. Dysfunction can even lead to experiencing neck or back pain, which can be read about in my second blog post. Visceral manipulation is a gentle approach to help restore normal organ motion, thus promoting healthy organ function.
Abdominal sphincters and why they matter
In a healthy digestive system, food moves smoothly through our digestive tract to be broken down by enzymes and bile so that nutrients can be reabsorbed and used by the body. A very important structure in our digestive systemis the sphincter. Sphincters are gateways that open and close to regulate the passage of food and digestive enzymes from one area of the intestines to another. Much like our abdominal organs, sphincters can become dysfunctional, and this can interrupt proper flow and breakdown of food. You likely have heard of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) because it is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In the case of GERD, the LES does not properly close which allows stomach acid and contents to move upward into the esophagus. The LES is but one of many sphincters that play a critical role in proper digestive function. Getting treated with visceral manipulation can help to restore correct functioning of abdominal sphincters and improve your digestive symptoms.
Patients feel results with visceral manipulation
Patients often see reduction or even resolution of their symptoms after a few visceral manipulation sessions. I have treated patients with reflux, abdominal bloating, and pain after meals that reported a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of their symptoms. During a visceral manipulation session, you can expect your practitioner to evaluate and treat any digestive organs, like the stomach, gallbladder, and intestines, and abdominal sphincters that show dysfunction. It is important to keep in mind that no single treatment method is a fix to a health problem, and that treating the whole person is essential. Visceral manipulation is a wonderful modality to use to address your gastrointestinal health.
Meet Dr. Rachel Paran
Dr. Rachel Paran is a Naturopathic Physician at Heart Spring Health in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. She received her training in visceral manipulation through the Barral Institute, named after the developer of visceral manipulation technique, Jean-Pierre Barral, DO. She is a graduate of Sonoran University of Health Sciences in Tempe, Arizona where she developed a passion for using hands-on therapeutic techniques to address functional imbalances. You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Paran through the patient portal or by calling Heart Spring Health at (503) 956-9396. To learn more about Dr. Paran’s health philosophy, you can read her biography by clicking here.