Visceral Manipulation and Craniosacral Therapy: A Manual Osteopath’s Perspective
Visceral manipulation (VM) and craniosacral therapy (CST) are hands-on therapies that help the body heal by releasing restrictions in tissues and systems. Both are rooted in manual osteopathy and aim to boost the body’s natural healing ability.
What Is Visceral Manipulation?
VM is a gentle technique that focuses on the body’s internal organs (also known as the viscera) and the structures around them. The idea is that how well your organs move can affect your overall health. Jean-Pierre Barral, a French osteopath and physiotherapist, developed VM, noticing that tension in the internal organs can impact other systems like your muscles, nerves, and circulation (1, 6).
By carefully releasing that tension, VM helps your organs move more freely, improving how they function and promoting your overall well-being. It’s especially helpful for digestive problems (think IBS), chronic pain, and even post-surgical recovery (7, 6).
How Does Visceral Manipulation Work?
Our organs are always on the move—whether it’s your stomach moving with each breath or your heart beating non-stop. VM therapists use their hands to find any restrictions in these movements and work to restore them. A restriction in an organ’s movement can cause other areas of the body (like muscles and joints) to compensate, often leading to pain or dysfunction (6, 7). By releasing these restrictions, VM helps the body realign and function better as a whole.
What Is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy (CST) focuses on the membranes and fluid around the brain and spinal cord. This light-touch technique helps improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which plays a key role in keeping your central nervous system healthy (2, 3, 5).
CST uses the natural rhythm of CSF could be influenced manually. Using light pressure on the skull, spine, and pelvis, CST helps release tension, promoting better flow and supporting conditions like migraines, chronic pain, and even recovery from trauma (3, 5).
How Craniosacral Therapy Works
The craniosacral system has a natural rhythm as CSF flows through it. When that rhythm is restricted, it can lead to pain or other symptoms (3, 5). A CST therapist gently detects and releases these areas of tension, helping restore balance to the body. It’s widely used for everything from helping newborns with birth trauma to reducing stress-related issues in adults (5, 8).
Benefits of Visceral Manipulation and Craniosacral Therapy
Chronic Pain Relief: Both VM and CST address underlying causes of pain that other treatments might miss, like organ adhesions or craniosacral system issues (4, 14).
Better Digestion: VM is particularly great for digestive issues, helping organs like the stomach and intestines move more freely and function better (7, 15).
Stress Relief: CST is known for calming the nervous system, which makes it an effective treatment for stress, anxiety, and trauma (11).
Increased Mobility: Both therapies release tension in tissues, improving flexibility and range of motion (12, 17).
Trauma Recovery: VM and CST help release both physical and emotional trauma, supporting recovery from PTSD and related conditions (18).
Research and Evidence
Research has shown that VM can help with both musculoskeletal pain and digestive function. For example, one study found that VM improved symptoms in people with chronic low back pain (14), and another saw improvements in GERD symptoms (15).
Similarly, CST has been backed by research for its ability to reduce pain and stress. A 2011 study found that CST helped reduce pain and improve the quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia (16). Another review showed that CST can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines (17).
Conclusion
Visceral manipulation and craniosacral therapy are gentle, non-invasive techniques that help the body heal by releasing restrictions and restoring balance. Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, digestive issues, or stress, these therapies offer a holistic approach that gets to the root of the problem, supporting your body’s natural ability to heal.
Warren Hitzig, DOMP is an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner at Creekside Health who loves to incorporate Visceral Manipulation and Craniosacral Therapy in his practice.
References:
Barral, J.-P., & Mercier, P. (2007). Visceral manipulation (Revised ed., pp. 20–35). North Atlantic Books.
Barral, J.-P., & Croibier, A. (2009). Manual therapy for the cranial nerves. Elsevier.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288358279_Manual_Therapy_for_the_Cranial_NervesCastro-Sánchez, A. M., Lara-Palomo, I. C., Matarán-Peñarrocha, G. A., Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., Saavedra-Hernández, M., Cleland, J., & Aguilar-Ferrándiz, M. E. (2016). Short-term effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy versus functional technique in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal, 16(3), 302-312.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26362233/
Fernandes, W. V. B., Rodríguez Blanco, C., Politti, F., de Cordoba Lanza, F., Lucareli, P. R. G., & Ferrari Corrêa, J. C. (2018). The effect of a six-week osteopathic visceral manipulation in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain and functional constipation: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 19, 151.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5833057/
Haller, H., Lauche, R., Sundberg, T., Dobos, G., & Cramer, H. (2019). Craniosacral therapy for chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 21(1), 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31892357/
Courtney, R., Greenwood, K. M., & Cohen, M. (2011). Relationships between measures of dysfunctional breathing in a population with concerns about their breathing. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 15(1), 24-34.