Sphincters in the digestive system: their role in digestion, symptoms of dysfunction, and why we treat them in visceral manipulation sessions

One of the techniques I have used the most since I started learning about visceral manipulation is treating the abdominal sphincters. In fact, I typically end every session by assessing and treating my patient’s abdominal sphincters! In this blog, we are going to discuss what the abdominal sphincters are, what symptoms may indicate dysfunction in the abdominal sphincters, and what may cause abdominal sphincter dysfunction.

First, let’s talk about what the abdominal sphincters are 

The abdominal sphincters are valve-like structures that control how quickly substances are moved through the digestive tract. Think of them like the timer on your washing machine. They ensure that food is digested as it needs to be prior to moving it along to the next area of the digestive tract.

There are 5 sphincters we assess and treat in a visceral session.

1)    The cardiac sphincter (also known as the lower esophageal sphincter). This sphincter is located between the esophagus and stomach, and controls the reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus.

2)    The pylorus. This sphincter controls the rate and timing of food leaving the stomach.

3)    The sphincter of Oddi. This sphincter controls the flow of digestive fluids from the common bile duct and pancreatic ducts into the duodenum.

4)    The duodenal-jejunal (DJ) junction. This sphincter is located between the duodenum and the small intestine.

5)    The ileocecal valve. This sphincter is located between the small intestine and large intestine.

What symptoms might you experience if you have a sphincter problem? 

Some symptoms of abdominal sphincter dysfunction include:

1)    Digestive issues such as reflux, gas, and overall poor digestion

2)    Flare ups of bowel diseases such as IBS or Chron’s disease

3)    Digestive problems during pregnancy

4)    Digestive problems during menopause

5)    Digestive dysfunction after surgery

6)    Excessive stress and anxiety

Any of these symptoms, or a combination of them, may improve after treating the abdominal sphincters.

What can cause abdominal sphincter dysfunction?

Some causes of abdominal sphincter dysfunction include:

1)    Bowel diseases – IBS, Chron’s, ulcerative colitis

2)    Constipation or diarrhea

3)    Pregnancy, menopause, or changes in hormonal levels

4)    Surgery

5)    Stress and anxiety

6)    Dysfunction in one sphincter may cause dysfunction in other sphincters

How do we treat the abdominal sphincters?

In a visceral manipulation session, we begin by listening to your body to determine where we should start treating. Once we complete treatment, we will assess the abdominal sphincters to determine if there is any dysfunction present.

The abdominal sphincters have motility just like our organs. Your practitioner will give a little compression to the sphincter, then release and assess the movement of the sphincter. If it is frozen or dysfunctional, we treat it with a gentle technique, reassess, and then move onto assessing the next sphincter if it has improved.

Although I always recommend assessment and treatment from a Barral trained visceral manipulation practitioner, you can also give this self sphincter massage a try!

If you want to learn more about the benefits of visceral manipulation, check out my Organ Mobilization Masterclass here. If you are local to the Memphis area and are ready to schedule your appointment, you can do so here.

References:
A Pathway to Health: How Visceral Manipulation can Help You by Alison Harvey

Blog post written by Dr. Alexis Hutchison, PT, DPT, OCS, PCES