I recently saw an osteopath who told me that my kidneys, which are supposed to be able to move up and down, were only moving up. As a result, kidney tubes and spermal tubes were entangled, which could be one cause of infertility that we’ve been experiencing. She freed up my kidneys, but wasn’t sure what I could do to maintain kidney flexibility and mobility. Any ideas about how to maintain this? Does it result from a yin or yang deficiency? Or something else?
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
When you say:
She freed up my kidneys, but wasn’t sure what I could do to maintain kidney flexibility and mobility.
What exactly did she do to “free up your kidneys”? And if she can free them up what is the concern exactly to keep them free…
Regardless, yin and yang are simply concepts and not a cause of disease themselves. Depending on the underlying factors there are certainly aspects to Chinese Medicine that can be helpful for the localized inflammation, potential towards scar tissue, etc. that may be behind such an issue.
Comment by Archived User
She used a series of pressure points (just with her hands), and somehow that moved things around.
My understanding was that this idea of kidneys needing the flexibility to move up and down was part of TCM. Am I wrong in that? And yes, yin and yang are concepts, but my understanding is that addressing the balance can lead to healthier body functions, so I’m hoping to figure out how to best help my kidneys (which seem to be functioning fine, but are just limited in movement).
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
This sounds a little strange to me. If you don’t have any physical issues, then I wouldn’t worry about it. Don’t confuse the kidney system with the physical kidneys - they are not the same thing. The “limited movement” thing sounds like a hoax to me, but there might be some other reason they are using this phrasing.
Comment by Archived User
Physically speaking the kidneys are held in place by the renal fascia which is then surrounded by adipose tissue. From a bio-mechanical standpoint it would be nearly impossible for the kidneys to move up but not down. As for “kidney tubes and spermal tubes” being tangled I have no idea why anyone would say that. The kidneys are positioned well above the male reproductive organs and apparatus. The ureter - my best interpretation of what is meant by kidney tube - connects to the bladder above where the seminal vesicles are located. Barring some weird genetics or physical trauma it should literally be impossible that the ureter would tangle with anything related to the male reproductive system.
Comment by Archived User
Ureters and spermatic cords aren’t near together. One kidney is a little higher than the other. I’ve seen many D.O. but never have had Osteopathic work and I am not familiar with theory like Chiropractic and Homeopathy. Very good points Stephen.
Comment by Archived User
FasciaA fascia (/ˈfæʃ(i)ə/; plural fasciae /ˈfæʃii/; adjective fascial; from Latin: "band") is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. Fascia is classified by layer, as superficial fascia, deep fascia, and visceral or parietal fascia, or by its function and anatomical location. Like ligaments, aponeuroses, and tendons, fascia is made up of fibrous connective tissue containing closel...
Osteopathic manipulation or osteopathic manipulative medicine is a core set of techniques of osteopathy and osteopathic medicine distinguishing these fields from the rest of medicine. Parts of osteopathy, such as cranial therapy, have been labeled pseudoscience and have no therapeutic value. The techniques are based on an ideology created by Andrew Taylor Still (1828–1917) which posits the existence of a myofascial continuity – a tissue layer that connects all parts of the body. Non-phys OMT is b...
Perhaps “mobility” is an Osteopathic medical term.
Comment by Archived User
This may answer some questions!