Could Your Back, neck, shoulders and sciatica pain Be Coming from Your Organs?

The Link Between Visceral Health and Musculoskeletal Pain in Osteopathy

When people think of back, neck, or shoulder pain, they usually imagine tense muscles, poor posture, or joint stiffness. But sometimes, the real cause is hidden deeper inside — in the organs.

In osteopathy, we talk about viscero-somatic reflexes — when an internal organ is not functioning optimally, it can cause tension, pain, or discomfort in a distant part of the body. Understanding this connection can help relieve persistent or unexplained pain.

How Are Organs and the Spine Connected?

Your internal organs — the liver, stomach, intestines, kidneys, bladder, uterus, prostate, etc. — are connected to your spine through nerves and fascia (a connective tissue network).When one of these organs is inflamed, congested, or restricted in mobility, it can create reflex tension in muscles, joints, and nerves — leading to pain that seems unrelated at first glance.

Common Visceral Causes of Back, Neck, or Leg Pain

🔹 Low Back Pain

• Kidneys: can cause deep, dull pain in the lower back.

• Colon / intestines: especially with bloating, constipation, or IBS symptoms.

• Uterus / prostate: pelvic organ tension can reflect into the lower back or hips.

🔹 Neck or Shoulder Pain

• Liver: often linked with pain under the right shoulder blade.

• Stomach: may cause discomfort between the shoulder blades or upper back.

• Lungs / heart: may create tightness in the chest or upper back area.

🔹 Sciatica or Cruralgia

• Organs in the pelvic or abdominal area (intestines, uterus, bladder) can irritate nearby nerves, leading to radiating leg pain that mimics sciatica or cruralgia.

Osteopathy: A Holistic Approach to Treat the Root Cause

Osteopaths trained in visceral manipulation use gentle, precise techniques to restore the mobility of your internal organs. This helps:

• Release surrounding muscle tension

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve circulation and nerve function

Treating the source — not just the symptoms — can make a real difference in chronic or recurring pain.

Who Can Benefit From Visceral Osteopathy?

This approach may help if you experience:

• Chronic back or neck pain that doesn't improve with conventional care

• Shoulder or upper back tension with no clear mechanical cause

• Sciatic-type leg pain with a history of digestive or pelvic issues

• A combination of digestive, urinary, or gynecological problems and pain

Looking for an Osteopath in NDG?

I welcome you to my clinic in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG), Montreal, where I offer professional osteopathic

care

for back pain, sciatica, shoulder and neck tension, and more. We’ll take the time to assess whether an organ-related issue may be contributing to your pain — and work toward long-term relief.

📍 Conveniently located near Côte-des-Neiges, Côte Saint-Luc, Montréal-Ouest, and Hampstead📅 Book your appointment now