Organs … emotions…

很多人以為 Visceral Manipulation (VM) 內臟手法治療（台灣譯：內臟筋膜鬆動術）就只局限做腹部治療，其實 VM 治療師是用雙手去找出身體有活動受限（restricted movement） 的結構，再檢查內臟器官的「能動律」（mobility）和「原動律」（motility）；治療師會用 VM 手法治療去調整身體有活動受限的地方，讓器官重新恢復活動能力。影響身體平衡的組織可以有很多，如筋膜（fascia）、韌帶 （ligament）； 而器官受限又影響到附近的神經線，血管（動和靜脈）、淋巴系統；神經線又直接影響肌肉筋腱，以致受其支配的關節。所以，VM 整個治療範圍包括器官系統（visceral system）、神經系統 （nervous system - central and peripheral nervous systems）、血管系統 （vascular system，血管系統會影響靜脈系統及淋巴系統）、筋膜系統 （fascial system）、骨骼關節系統 （osteo-articular system ）…等。我們處理的並不只是內臟器官，隨著經驗及對人體解剖學和生物學既認識，只要治療師雙手能感覺到的組織，都可以 VM 手法治療改善他，並協助身體回復健康狀態。

而VM 創辦人Jean Pierre Barral 老師（osteopath）在 70 年代開始，已經鑽研內臟器官和情緒之間的關係，從而他發展一套 手感體溫手法 （Manual Thermal Evaluation (MTE) ），以徒手去分辨屬於內臟器官的問題是來自：1）結構性組織，2）功能性狀況，或是 3）情緒問題。當身體發生 生物機械方面（biomechanical）的問題，治療師亦要檢查當中有否情緒問題。Jean Pierre 認為一個問題如果已在身體上已成形，若只處理情緒方面，而沒有處理身體上實際有的組織受限情況，問題還是會復發。

VM 是以聆聽手法找出身體出現毛病的根源，再以適切而準確的手法去協助身體釋放有壓力，有阻塞的地方。這是一個由Osteopathy 發展出的整全性（holistic）手法治療，Jean Pierre 以他多於40年在臨床和解剖室內，對人體結構和功能獲得的經驗發展出來的輕柔手法治療；我們治療師面對的，並不是一個身體毛病，而是一個獨一無二的病人身上出現不平衡的狀態，兩個同一徵狀的病人，需要的治療方法可以完全不一樣。我們做的是找尋身體問題的根源，而非頭痛醫頭、腳痛醫腳。

Majority of people think Visceral Manipulation (VM) treats only abdominal organs, VM therapists actually use their hands to find out the body parts with restricted movements, and to assess the “mobility” and “motility” of the internal organs. After finding out the areas with restricted movements, therapists apply techniques to restore the movement of the area/organ. The causes that disturb the body’s balance / homeostasis can be numerous, it can be due to fascia, ligaments etc. An organ with restricted mobility/motility would also affect the surrounding nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic system. Nerves problems then affect their innervated muscles / tendons, as well as the related joints. Considering this, the areas that VM covers include visceral system, nervous system (Central Nervous System CNS & Peripheral Nervous System PNS), vascular system, lymphatic system, fascial system, osteo-articular system…etc. What we are treating are not confined to internal organs. With further clinical experience, and more understanding of human anatomy and physiology, what we can feel, we can treat.

The founder of VM, Jean Pierre Barral (Osteopath) started to study and investigate the relationship between internal organs and emotions since 1970s. He developed an assessment tool called Manual Thermal Evaluation (MTE), using hands to differentiate whether the problems of an internal organ be due to: 1) structural components, 2) functional conditions or 3) emotional issues. When the body has a biomechanical problem, therapists have to check if this problem has an emotional component. Jean Pierre advocates that if a physical problem already exists in the body, only treating the emotional aspect without addressing the actual physical aspect, the problem will recur. 

By using listening techniques, VM therapists find out the root cause of the problem of a patient, and then using precise and appropriate techniques to treat the area to restore it back to normal. This is a holistic manual therapy originally stems from osteopathy, and Jean Pierre developed it in a more complete and detailed approach, using his more than 4 decades of clinical and dissection experience. What we VM therapists are treating, is not a body illness or dysfunction. Rather, we are seeing and helping an unbalanced state of a patient who is unique and special. Same symptoms occurring on two different patients and the treatment approach/area can be totally different. What we do is to find the root cause and treat it, instead of only relieving symptoms. 

Who needs VM?

沒有人會因為他們的內臟器官出現徵狀而來找我們做治療。他們求診的原因是因為由內臟器官失調或活動受限衍生出來的結果，例：因腎臟問題引致的腰背痛；因盤腔/泌尿生殖系統及有關的軟組織引致的髋關節問題。

一個有慢性背痛，背彊硬的病人來求診。背痛情況反射至右大腿後膝，走路時有腳步浮浮不踏實感覺。病人背痛問題有六至七年，一直有跟隨老師練習瑜伽，普拉提，也有固定接受針灸及脊醫治療，情況時有好轉，但背痛及彊硬情況依舊持續。

透過手法評估，我發現病人身體上最重要的問題是左腎。再詳盡的評估，就發現左腎活動完全受阻。治療過程中，我把兩邊腎的活動問題調好，放鬆腎後有張力的神經線（他們支配下腰，腹股溝位置等）；接下來，再把腸繫膜下幅的黏連解除，腦硬膜張力黏連處理了，再調整好腎臟的原動律。

病人感覺我只是很輕柔地按了她的腹和背，沒有用「啪」她的關節，沒有做一些肌肉伸展的手法，但她下腰肌肉在治療後立即放鬆了，腰痛感覺和右大腿後的扯痛消失，走幾步時感覺踏實。病人感覺輕柔式的手法竟可即時帶來這種身體轉變。

這就是來自Barral Institute的「內臟筋膜鬆動術」。透過課程裡的「聆聽技巧」，找出身體最需要接受治療的部位，我們便治療此部位，及其他有連帶關係的地方，直至身體「安靜」下來-即我們的手再沒有檢查到身體有需要接受治療的訊號

People do not come to see us because of symptoms due to their internal organs.
They come to see us because of the RESULTS of dysfunction/ restriction of internal organs, eg. Low back pain manifested by kidney fixation/ kidney ptosis, Hip problem due to pelvic /urogenital organ issues.
A patient with chronic back stiffness and pain for 6-7 years, with radiated right thigh pain at the back, with feeling of walking on clouds, came for treatment. She has been practising yoga, pilates, and has been receiving acupuncture, chiropractic treatment etc for a few years with some progress but low back pain and stiffness remain similar. .
The major problem that her body “spoke” to me was left kidney. Upon a more detailed listening, left kidney was fixated. Treatment done on both kidneys, nerves behind the kidneys. Some adhesion on inferior leaf of small intestine was released, with dural tube cleared, and it was finished with balance of motility of both kidneys.
Patient felt I was just giving “gentle touch” to her and I did not do any bone cracking or muscle stretching yet the low back was supple right after the treatment, the back pain and referred right thigh pain were gone. She felt she had more “solid” walking gait and she was surprised by the change of her body through just gentle touch.

This is Visceral Manipulation (VM) from Barral Institute. We assess patients through “Listening technique” to locate the main problem that the body needs treatment, then we treat that part as well as other related parts until the body becomes “silent”.