Your body already knows what to do and is constantly working to maintain homeostasis (balance within), but because of poor physical alignment, emotional or physical trauma, lifestyle and dietary choices, and environmental pollution, our bodies struggle to maintain that internal balance. Homeostasis relies on unobstructed flow of the arterial, venous, lymph, nerve, and chi (energy) channels. Bodywork can be a valuable way to help ensure unobstructed flow.
1. Abdominal massage improves arterial blood flow which brings oxygenated blood and nutrients to every cell of the body. If the uterus is out of position or if we have poor pelvic alignment and tight muscles, we most likely have poor circulation in the pelvis. This could result in poorly nourished reproductive organs and their supporting ligaments.
2. Abdominal massage improves venous return. The venous system carries deoxygenated blood, waste, and carbon dioxide away from the tissues. If the venous circulation is impeded, carbon dioxide and waste products accumulate. As a result, harmful acids build up, resulting in pain and poor function of the organs. Venous congestion leads to varicosities in the uterus that can result in heaviness in the pelvis and undiagnosed pelvic pain.
3. Gentle abdominal massage improves lymphatic flow. The lymphatic system carries away toxins, excess fluids, and cellular debris and is our major line of defense against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Restriction in the flow of lymph allows pathological debris to accumulate, causing acidity, pain, swelling, and inflammation.
4. Abdominal massage affects your nervous system. The nervous system coordinates all bodily functions. Muscle spasms, mal-positioned or enlarged organs, and scar tissue can obstruct the nerve channels. Basically, if there is congestion, toxic accumulation, or restriction, the hormonal feedback loop can be compromised.
5. Abdominal massage improves Chi (energy) flow. Chi flows through the blood and energy meridians of the body, as well as around the outside of the body. Chi is restricted when the other systems of flow are restricted, or from emotional and physical stress. Where your attention goes, your energy flows.
6. Abdominal massage reduces pain and tension. In fact, having my liver motility improved through abdominal massage eliminated my neck pain! And having my cecum (first part of the colon) and right ovary motility addressed eliminated my right knee pain! Abdominal massage also helps to eliminate gas pain and pain from scar tissue restrictions.
7. Helps you think clearly. Most people realize how difficult it is to think clearly when their belly is upset but did you know that ancient Chinese generals would have Chi Nei Tsang (Chinese abdominal massage) before battles because it would help them think more clearly? I’ve worked with professional athletes by doing Chi Nei Tsang on them before big games for similar reasons.
8. Abdominal massage also helps eliminate menstrual cramps. Mainly by addressing the five systems of flow mentioned above but can also help correct a tipped uterus. I’ve experienced this myself and with my clients. A tipped uterus can cause painful periods and backaches with menstruation. It’s important to know how and when to do abdominal massage properly. I can teach you how to do abdominal massage for painful periods and tipped uterus in my Womb Care online course.
9. Abdominal massage relieves constipation by increasing the mobility and motility of the colon and small intestine. This was one of the number one symptoms I addressed over my 23 years of working with clients. I include the constipation ebook for more helpful tips in my online courses.
10. Abdominal massage helps to reduce abdominal adhesions and scar tissue that can cause pain, discomfort, and internal organ function. The approach I use for treating abdominal restrictions is a gentle approach inspired by osteopathic manipulations. I use these techniques in my Free The Belly online course for working with abdominal scars and restrictions. My courses are self-care courses but they also offer CEUs (continuing education credits) for the massage therapy professional approved by NCBTMB.
11. Abdominal massage helps you tune into and release stored emotion. It’s not uncommon for emotions to come up when the belly is massaged. In my online courses, I will teach you how to allow emotional charges to move through their cycles which will benefit the tissues and how you move in your body and through life. Emotions need to be digested as well as food. According to Chinese medicine, each organ holds a particular emotion and if emotions are not processed they will result in knots and tangles in the belly and affect organ function. There are similar beliefs in the Mayan healing tradition, Mayan healers did not separate the spiritual, emotional, and physical worlds when addressing illness.
Memories in the body are encoded in the fascia. “The release of substance P from nerve endings, particularly driven by the hypothalamus following emotional trauma, may alter the collagen structure into a specific hexagonal shape, referred to as “emotional scar”. (Heine, 1990)
“Manual therapy may then activate an ‘erasing process’ via a gel-sol transformation of the matrix causing a reset of dysfunctional memories, possibly stored in the fascia.” from the article Does Fascia Hold Memories? In the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2014) 18, 259-265
