On March 4, a friendly 69-year-old lady visited the practice with intestinal complaints. When asked what her primary concern was at that time, she immediately replied: IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
This diagnosis was made by her GP in 2015. Since then, she had been trying to manage her symptoms with a modified diet. Gluten, dairy products, and foods containing E numbers were avoided as much as possible. This resulted in clear improvement, but even a minor deviation from the diet quickly led to intestinal issues again.
She had heard through her husband that osteopathy also examines the relationship between organs and physical complaints. Therefore, she wanted to know if more could be done than just managing symptoms through nutrition.
Within osteopathy, the focus is not only on where the symptoms manifest, but primarily on the structure or system that has the greatest influence on the body’s functioning at that moment. In the case of IBS, the intestines often appear to play the leading role, but sometimes the cause lies deeper.
During the osteopathic examination, it became clear that in this case, the liver required particular attention. This was notable because the patient did not mention any liver complaints herself. Nevertheless, the body gave clear signals that this organ had been heavily burdened in the past, possibly due to a biochemical load such as a virus or medication.
During the consultation, the patient shared that she had suffered from hepatitis at the age of ten, a liver inflammation she had contracted from her sister. While her sister had hardly been ill, she had been severely affected at the time. Additionally, her liver was heavily burdened again around the age of forty due to medicinal poisoning. The medication in question was likely not harmful in itself, but proved to be a poor combination for her liver.
From an osteopathic perspective, this is vital information. The liver plays a major role in digestion and metabolism. Among other things, this organ produces substances essential for proper intestinal function. When the liver functions less than optimally, it can indirectly affect the intestines and contribute to symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, or food sensitivities.
Therefore, the treatment initially focused on supporting the mobility and function of the liver, with the aim of providing the body with more rest and opportunities for recovery.
Within osteopathy, the focus is always on the complete picture: not just the complaint itself, but primarily the interconnectedness within the body.
