What is Manual Medicine?
Manual medicine simply uses the hands to help heal the body
Each system in the body responds to different types of touch. Joints, muscles, fascia, organs, blood vessels, nerves, brain, pelvic bowl, meninges/dura, and lymph all prefer different types of touch. It is important to be able to hear the choir that is the body and to recognize the voice of each member and knows how it harmonizes with the other singers to best meet the needs of the whole body.
In my work, I find there is a helpful order for addressing the ailments of the body. After identifying any internal medicine components like infections and inflammation I assess for a lymphatic component. I find a basic level of lymph function must be present to address anything else meaningfully. Sometimes I will use spinal adjustments to address the lymphatic system, sometimes fascial release, sometimes lymphatic drainage. All is dependent on what the lymph wants.
Many of the lymphatic issues I see in my practice actually come from the venous system. When there is congestion in the venous system some lymph will leak out and infiltrate into the tissue. So rehabilitating the veins with manual therapy (and nutritional support) is important for healing.
Coincident to working with the venous system is awakening the organ system. Within the organs, there is a certain hierarchy of care. For instance, the kidneys need to be moving well before the pelvic organs. And the ovaries must be moving well before the uterus.
You are not only a physical body. You also have an energy body. I work with the energy body with my hands at times, although hands are not necessary. Different types of energy feel different when I work with them, and this helps me to understand the stories connected to the energy patterns.
