Why would you have abdominal massage?

I have been giving an increasing number of abdominal massages lately, which got me reflecting upon what a crucial area of the body it is. Our gut is not only responsible for digestion, but it is a sensory organ, assisting in assessing external threats, communicating with the brain, and preparing us for action (The Meaning of Pain, Nick Potter). It is no wonder we talk about “gut reactions;” the stomach is lined with a thin layer of brain cells (the enteric system). According to Dr Michael Mosly in The Clever Guts Diet: There are over 100 million neurons in the gut, as many as you would find in the brain of a cat. (Well if my cat is anything to go by, her stomach is definitely her most valued organ!).   

The gastrointestinal tract, home to a wonderfully diverse gut biome, is also a key player in the body’s immune response, so if our gut health is suffering, there will be ramifications throughout the rest of the body. With the help of modern media, we all have much better awareness about how to nourish ourselves and our gut biomes, but we don’t often think of manual therapy.  

A neglected area

If our abdomen is so central to our wellbeing, why is it such a neglected area? We rarely pay any attention to our gut unless it goes wrong in some way. Conditions such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) often arise following periods of prolonged stress, where the nervous system remains in a hyper-aroused state of “fight or flight”. A common response to such symptoms is to ignore them and hope they go away. 

Many people are uncomfortable about their stomach, not helped by societal pressure to hold it in and look slim! Not letting your abdomen relax, increases abdominal tension, and puts pressure on internal organs, including the diaphragm, which in turns affects our breathing, sending it more up into the chest. (One positive outcome of the first Coronavirus lockdown was that tight waistlines were abandoned in favour of lounge wear, allowing the belly to relax!) 

What are the benefits of abdominal massage?

Typical benefits include:

• Improves digestive function, getting “everything moving” or calming the digestive tract down. 
• Boosts the immune system by stimulating the lymphatic and circulatory systems. 
• Improves posture – relieving tension helps correct misalignment or holding patterns. 
• Decreases PMS, menstrual and menopausal symptoms – gentle work can help alleviate tension, bloating, water retention and feelings of distress. 
• Encourages abdominal breathing by giving the diaphragm more freedom to move. 
• Decreases stress and anxiety by calming the central nervous system. 
• Provides deep relaxation and feelings of well-being. 
• Improves overall body awareness by tapping into the “second brain;” promotes emotional healing. 

What I have learnt from abdominal massage

Anecdotally, I have found that after abdominal massage, clients report feeling much more comfortable in the digestive tract, particularly those experiencing IBS symptoms. In some clients there is an emotional release (demonstrating how much emotion we hold in our stomachs!). All my clients who have received abdominal massage say they feel completely relaxed afterwards.  

In my experience, abdominal massage also leads to better awareness about breathing patterns and I often practise belly breathing with clients afterwards. Clients are then empowered to use their breath as a tool to both energise and relax the body rather than allow shallow breathing to perpetuate feelings of tension.  

I have witnessed how abdominal massage can lead to an upward spiral in self-care, whereby the client feels more inclined to eat healthily. 

What do clients say?

“Experiencing Abdominal Massage for the first time was a revelation. The Solar Plexus and Sacral Areas are where I have been holding stored emotions. I always knew that stress, anxiety, worries, emotional shock and upset made a bee line for these areas and then stuck there!

Symptoms presented in other ways such as disturbed and uncomfortable digestion, over sensitivity to certain foods, IBS and poor-quality sleep. These have been the physical manifestations of these stored experiences and exposures.  

 Abdominal massage as part of Nicola’s overall treatment plan, progressively released layer upon layer of these emotions and blockages, thus easing the physical symptoms along with a core benefit of simply feeling better!” 

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“I’ve always had a negative connection with my tummy, feeling extremely self-conscious about that particular area, but recognised that there was so much more to that part of my body. Whilst having an abdominal massage with Nicola, I felt her calming and nurturing energy and felt extremely comfortable and somewhat empowered by allowing her to massage my tummy. I was able to openly express how I was feeling whilst she was massaging me and shared that my tummy is actually pretty amazing and beautiful, as it housed my son for nine months. It helped me to have more of a positive connection with it and enabled me to continue accepting it the more massages I had. It actually helped to heal a part of myself, and I wanted to treat myself with more kindness, so became aware of what I ate, how I saw myself, speaking to myself with more positivity and kindness. It’s such a gentle, nurturing, and emotional experience. I highly recommend you experience it too.”

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I knew that abdominal massage was useful, and I am really pleased at how beneficial my clients have found it. As these client testimonials demonstrate, the abdomen is more than just soft tissue and digestive organs – it is linked to the processes of the nervous system and mental, emotional and psychological states.