Visceral Osteopathy: The Peritoneal Organs is concerned with the application of osteopathic concepts to the abdominal viscera, specifically the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. It lays out a comprehensive manual approach to these viscera based on physiological research and extensive clinical experience. The visceral paradigm developed in this book is centered on the mechanical expression of the biological forces within the organs themselves. In this paradigm, the most important aspect of the viscera of the gut is their intrinsic, autonomous regulation. The focus is therefore on the inner mechanical architecture and power centers of the viscera. Visceral Osteopathy offers a comprehensive and clinically sound system of diagnosis and treatment of the digestive organs, and firmly establishes visceral manipulation in the context of contemporary physiological research. The diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of visceral osteopathy are described in detail and are accompanied by hundreds of photographs and drawings that clearly illustrate each of the techniques, including an original bi-manual form of palpation for all the viscera. A separate chapter is devoted to each of the peritoneal organs. Other features of the book: - Provides concise, up-to-date applied anatomy. - Includes extensive and well-illustrated descriptions of embryology and its significance in manipulation of the viscera. - Discusses all major concepts in visceral manipulation and compares different schools of thought. - Develops the idea of movement as compensation and discusses the benefit of different types of visceral movement. - Draws an important and useful distinction between intravisceral treatment and indirectly working on the viscera via the fasciae. - Offers practical tools to differentiate movements according to normal or compensatory activity. - Looks at the inherent stability of viscera in relation to posture. - Outlines how visceral problems influence the musculoskeletal and craniosacral systems. - Provides a glossary of all important terms used in this and other books on visceral manipulation, and an extensive bibliography.