Research, Articles & Case Studies

There is a great need for effective, non-invasive therapies to help military Veterans, first responders, and athletes struggling with mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), concussions and lingering neurological problems or co-morbid psychological health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety.

For Veterans, MTBI may occur from traumatic events that induce physiological disruptions in brain function. Veterans experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be in a freeze condition, which lowers the fluid circulation in the brain, and as such, pathologies and dysfunctions may develop.

For athletes, repeated sub-concussive hits may both lower the fluid circulation in the brain and cause PTSD due to the changes in the brain. This reduced fluid circulation predisposes a person to neurological disorders later in life, which may damage the blood-brain barrier and eventually lead to neural tissue damage.

Therapists who treat Veterans and athletes with brain in uries are trained by the Upledger Institute International and Barral Institute in three primary manual therapies: Upledger CranioSacral Therapy (CST), Barral Visceral Manipulation (VM) and Barral Neural Manipulation (NM). Therapists work with those experiencing MTBI, PTSD, anxiety and depression, chronic pain, memory and sleeping disorders. Developed by John E. Upledger, DO, OMM and Jean-Pierre Barral, DO, MRO(F), PT, these therapies are based in manual osteopathic principles that unite the body through fascia. The fascia is an interconnected biological fabric that joins the smallest part of a cell out to the skin itself. Through treatment of the many types and layers of fascia, the therapist facilitates a person’s inherentability to self-correct.

Barral Institute Case Study Visceral Manipulation – Endometriosis

Barral Institute Case Study Visceral Manipulation – Neck Pain

An estimated 4 million peolpe in the US experience constipation. GI complaints by uncompfortable or infrequent bowel movements, ususlly less than 3 times a week. Many factors contribute to constpation. Great Read!!

Enjoy this in-depth article about synergy between the heart-brain-gut axis, the gut-brain axis, the vagus nerve, emotions, and optimal health. 

The quality of our emotional balance and the regulating power of the ventral vagus nerve are two things that go hand-in-hand. The pernicious effects of stress on the beneficial action of the vagus nerve should not be overlooked, and conversely how a serene, joyful, and empathetic emotional state is a strong factor for creating optimal health. Manual therapy means to help strengthen the functioning of the vagus nerve are important, as are ways to manage and decrease stress to help balance the emotions.

Related books by the article author.  

Upledger Institute International Case Study

CranioSacral Therapy-Occipital Migraine

Upledger Institute International Case Study

CranioSacral Therapy – Neck Pain

Upledger Institute International Case Study

CranioSacral Therapy and Anxiety

Upledger Institute International Case Study

CranioSacral Therapy – Childhood Apraxia and Sensory Processing Integration Disorder

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a deformity that affects the spine in three dimensions. Even though AIS patients are usually asymptomatic, AIS negatively impacts them, affecting their quality of life and restricting their social life. There are many treatment options but no gold standard. Visceral manipulation (VM) is widely used in  osteopathic practice for the treatment of several conditions, but it is little known among the medical community. To the best of our knowledge, there are no scientific studies reporting VM as a treatment alternative for AIS.

Case Presentation: The case was a 14-year-old girl with AIS (baseline Cobbangle of 38.9° in the lumbar spineand 32.3° in the thoracic spine). Although the patient had no physical symptoms, she was recommended for surgery to correct thedeformity. The osteopathic assessment indicated that the uterus and pericardium where the main  anatomical structurescreating tension. Two VM sessions were conducted with a month-and-a-half interval  between sessions. The follow-up X-ray revealed a Cobb angle of 32.1° in the lumbar curvature and 34.3° in the thoracic curvature. The results were perceived as an improvement by the patient and her parents. No adverse  events or complications were reported. Discussion: After two session of visceral osteopathic treatment, this document reports a 6.8° Cobb angle reduction of the primary curve in a patient with AIS, with the thoracic curvature becoming the major curve.