By Steve Kravitz, PT, DPT, CST
There’s no shame in confronting our digestive problems, yet the discussion remains uncomfortable for many of us. The problem is the growing body of us who are left to combat digestion issues in silence.
An estimated 35 million Americans suffer from symptoms relating to Irritable Bowel Syndrome out of a total 70 million, who report to experience some type of digestive issue everyday.
It’s inconvenient to deal with the many symptoms that signal problems in your digestive tract but no one should have to tolerate the discomfort. Many digestive issues are treatable and in some cases preventable so if you’re curious how to combat gut issues, you’re on the right (digestive) tract.
How Your Digestive System Works
The first step to healthy digestion is understanding your body. Digestion is important for breaking down the food we eat into nutrients in order for our bodies to obtain energy, growth, and cell repair. The gut and the brain share a close connection with each other. This explains why the digestion of food can be easily disrupted by high stress levels and change in moods. Health experts say that abnormal function of the nerves, enzymes, and muscles within your digestive tract are to blame for digestive difficulties.
Have you ever had a bad ‘gut feeling’ about something or someone? Contrary to popular belief, the idiom isn’t just a figure of speech. We often are acquainted with a ‘gut feeling’ when we are first introduced to someone or we ‘trust our gut instinct’ when we make important decisions. That anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach upon waking up late for work is a prime example of the two in action. Our brain rapidly signals to our gut when we feel emotionally strained, creating potential problems in our digestive tract.
Common Digestive Issues & Natural Remedies
Belly pain, cramping, gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation are all common symptoms that signal problems in your digestive tract. The severity of the symptoms vary greatly between each individual depending on the type of digestive disorder. It’s been said that 20% of adult population are affected by constipation, regardless of making an effort to prevent it. Natural remedies that might help ease your digestive difficulties include an increase of water intake, the elimination of certain foods, and exercise. For those of us who still can’t seem to find relief, there is another non-invasive and gentle treatment that just might do the trick.
How Visceral Manipulation Can Help
Underneath your pain or discomfort is a compensatory pattern created in your body with the primary source of the dysfunction. For most patients, the primary source causing problems is often far from where the pain is felt. I work with my hands to release the unhealthy restrictions that provoke the pain and dysfunction you feel by gently pressing and moving soft tissue. This type of treatment is called Visceral Manipulation, and it focuses on locating and resolving abnormal tension(s) of connective tissue that can link the organs of your body to various regions of tightness throughout your musculoskeletal system. When I resolve the abnormal tension in these connective tissues, it can have a positive effect on the physiological function of your organs as well as the structural integrity of your body. By evaluating your entire body to locate the source of the problem, I am then able to correct these imbalances which can improve your body’s ability to restore itself to health and aid in digestive relief.
Visceral Manipulation is just one part of a unique, personalized approach to Physical Therapy which has been developed over twenty years by Dr. Steve Kravitz of Steve Kravitz Physical Therapy. To learn more about how Visceral Manipulation can help you with digestive relief, contact us or read more on our blog.
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