Digestive Issues and Osteopathy
Digestive issues
Many people struggle with their digestive health for a variety of reasons. It is not always easy to deal with and therefore a solution would be ideal. This is however not always easily achieved because your intestines are influenced by so many different factors.
What does your digestive system do?
Your digestive tract is 26 foot long, which makes it the longest organ in the human body. Within we find a coiled wall increasing the surface area even more. The main job your digestive system has is to digest food and absorb nutrients as efficiently as possible. If this is somehow disrupted you will start to notice all sorts of issues.
These issues are mainly to do with the lack of nutrients your body is receiving if absorption is disrupted. For example, a lack of vitamin B12 can cause constipation or diarrhea in itself, however it may also cause pins and needles or a numb feeling in your hands or feet. It is therefore very important that your digestive health is optimal to be able to absorb this vitamin properly.
The digestive system is a hypersensitive transmitter-receiver of emotions because it is linked to the brain via many neurons, forming its own network, the enteric nervous system (ENS). This is why you may experience abdominal discomfort when stressed, or get grumpy when you are hungry. This is therefore also important to consider.
What can go wrong and why?
The most common problems people struggle with are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), reflux, constipation or diarrhea. These often involve symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, abdominal cramping and heartburn.
Due to the wide variety of influences it is sometimes difficult to determine why you are getting digestive issues.
The main physical areas, which may disrupt digestive health, are usually to do with the nervous system, diaphragm, lower back or directly within your bowels.
If your bowel movement has been disrupted for a longer amount of time the tissues around your bowels may start sticking to each other, causing adhesions.
One of the biggest causes for digestive problems is an allergy or sensitivity to a certain type of food that you’re still eating. This can cause localized inflammation, which also predisposes to adhesions.
What can osteopathy do to help?
Osteopathy does not treat the disease, however it looks at the individual person in front of them and determines what is and is not moving properly. Your osteopathic manual practitioner will analyze your posture and movement to determine what areas need to change in order for you to function better overall. They will look at your lower back, diaphragm and nervous system in more detail. A change in diet might be needed in which case your osteopathic manual practitioner may refer you to a naturopath or dietician.