One of the most significant roles that manual therapy plays in treatment is encouraging the body to use its own resources to heal itself. This means that the main focus of my practice is to support the body through the healing process- whatever that may mean at the time.

When we talk about detoxification, it is important that the body has the manual support it needs to be able to release and clear out the toxins that slow us down and lead to future health problems.

Let’s take a brief look at how manual therapies can help with the detoxification process:

Massage Therapy
•    Massage Techniques: i.e. Swedish massage, joint mobilizations, neuromuscular treatment, and myofascial release

• Releases physical restrictions in the body and reduces pain
• Increases circulation; your body’s way of delivering nutrients and eliminating toxins at a local tissue level
• Encourages rehydration of tissues

•    Lymph Drainage

• Encourages your own natural detox pathways (your lymph system) to mobilize toxins out of your body
• Helpful for reducing swelling from injury or surgery and creating new pathways of elimination through damaged tissue

Osteopathic Modalities
•    Visceral Manipulation

• Rebalances and releases restrictions (physical and emotional) in the organs of detox such as the liver or kidneys so that they can operate more efficiently

•    CranioSacral Therapy

• Releases restrictions in fascial diaphragms (think pelvic bowl or breathing diaphragm)
• Encourages the movement of cerebrospinal fluid which is important for delivery of nutrients and removal of waste in the brain and spinal cord
• Directly works on your central nervous system to encourage the parasympathetic state (rest and digest)
• Often a catalyst for emotional releases

All of these treatment modalities can also help to release the physical storage areas of emotional toxins.

For more information on how the body stores toxins and how manual therapy can aid in removing them, book a treatment with Lisa Schneider, RMT.