ACA Update #3
~ Contents of ACA Update #3 ~
- Why study evolution?
- What is "listening"?
- Incorporating the left gastric vein into your treatment of the stomach.
Over the course of this year I want to keep you updated on what's in store for you during my new classes.
A few tidbits to whet your appetite!
~ Evolution, Embryology, Anatomy & Physiology ~
With gastroesophageal reflux disease we tend to think about the lower esophageal sphincter however, as we will learn in the first ACA class there can be other causes of this issue. The lower esophageal sphincter is an insignificant structure that in and of itself is not capable of preventing the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.
One other possible cause is pressure within the venous system. You'll notice in the drawing above that the left gastric vein dumps into the portal vein and the left left gastro-omental vein delivers deoxygenated blood into the superior mesenteric vein. So, when you're working with the mediolateral glide of the stomach you may in fact be addressing one of the more common causes of gastroesophageal reflux disease, increased pressure in the portal venous system, which may possibly be caused from congestion within the liver.
You will notice in the drawing that small tributaries of the left gastric vein supply venous drainage of the abdominal esophagus….hmmm….could the liver play a part in GERD?
The attraction (the “listening”) that occurs within a person's body is because, as JP says; "the body hugs the lesion". In fact, the body cannot do anything but hug the lesion. This is based on physical laws that cannot be broken. We all know this to be true. The tendency in the body is to move away from tension not towards it. And so, when there is a "fixation", "restriction", "lesion", "adhesion", "______" (you fill in the blank) the body, in its constant effort to achieve homeostasis, moves towards that tension, not away from it.
In reality there are many tensions occurring within any one person's body at any one time. It's like a symphony with all its various instruments. Some instruments (the base, drums, and horns) are very loud and some (the flutes, piccolos, and violins) are very quiet but they are all playing at the same time. This is an analogy I like to use to describe the “history” of the patient. All these myriad "listenings" (attractions) are occurring at this present moment in time. These comprise a gestalt, a collection of the person's responses, reactions, and internal interpretations of their collective history from birth until the present moment. Anything that has occurred whether physical, emotional or even mental is recorded for the life of the person. All types of infections, illnesses, traumas, vaccinations, diseases, surgeries, etc. are all recorded within the "pages" of our tissues.
Let’s continue on with our discussion of the mediolateral glide of the stomach. As you glide the stomach to the right, if you feel a tension there may possibly be an increased pressure within the vascular system associated with the left gastro-omental vein.
Now, of course you can address this by working on the duodenum and the small intestines due to its termination into the superior mesenteric vein but you can also address it by working with this “seemingly” simple technique of mediolateral glide.
In essence, you are working on the articulation between the spleen and the stomach and liberating the venous drainage in this area.
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