Could you have Ileocecal Valve Syndrome?
The most common response is “what’s an Ileocecal valve?”
It’s a small circular valve located between the small and large intestine. It is located on the lower right side of the abdomen just above the appendix. It allows digested food to pass from the small intestine into your large intestine. The valve also blocks waste from backing up in the wrong direction. It is intended to be a one-way valve, only opening up to allow broken down foods to pass through.
Ileocecal Valve Syndrome
When the ileocecal valve is stuck open waste can back up into the small intestine messing up your digestion and also creating unhealthy toxins that are absorbed into the body.
If the ileocecal valve is stuck closed waste can’t get to the large intestine in order to exit your body.
This is often completely overlooked in the medical profession and often a wrong diagnosis may be given.
How do you know if you might have an issue with your ileocecal valve?
Illeocecal valve issues are often brought on by stressful life situations and changes or improper diet. It can masquerade as tons of different things from heart symptoms, migraines, chronic fatigue, acne, chronic systemic inflammation, to Irritable Bowel Syndrome much more. Though most symptoms are individual and range from mild to painful a full on Illeocecal Valve attack can be very clear and make you really sick.
In an acute illeocecal valve attack it may seem like a horribly bad stomach flu. Gas cramps, vomiting, fever, and general malaise. If you ever have a stomach flu that seems like it is not going away, this may possibly be an alternate suspect.
Other symptoms of a stuck valve:
These may range from vaguely annoying to seriously painful.
Abdominal pain
Groin pain
Acne
Allergies
Arthritis like pain
Bad breath
Bloating
Body Odor
Bowel Gas
Distension of belly
Burping
Candida
Open valve creates alkalinity
Carpal Tunnel
Chest pains
Chronic Fatigue
Colds
Colitis
Diverticulitis
Constipation
Dehydration
Depression
Dark circles under the eyes, also a sign of kidney stress
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Digestive disorders
Elbow Pain
Exhaustion
“Flu” symptoms
Fatigue
Fluid Retention
Gas
Headaches
Hip pain, particularly on the right
Indigestion
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Knee pains
Lethargy
Migraines
Nausea
Nervousness
Edema
Palpitations
Post nasal drip
Sinus infection symptoms
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder joint pain (right side)
Skin problems
Stiff neck
Sudden low back pain
Thirst
Thrush
Tinnitus
Vision issues
Water retention
What can cause this?
Stress – Stress, strong emotions your find hard or traumatic to deal with. The mind directly affects the body.
Digestion – Too much raw food, bran, roughage like bran, alcohol in excess, caffeinated drinks, crisps, nuts and even whole grains can cause the valve to malfunction. So can allergies and food sensitivities, a lack digestive enzymes, minerals and vitamins. A common culprit is a diet heavy in processed chemical laden foods.
Exhaustion – Over-tiredness due to straining the muscles, bones and organs, running yourself ragged or lack of exercise can upset function of the digestive system.
Vibrational Energy (life force) – Microwaves, energy excesses and deficiencies in acupuncture meridians, electro-magnetic pollution (smart meters, cell phones, computers), all can affect our digestion.
How to adjust and heal your illeocecal valve.
Please find a trained Chiropractor or Kinesiologist. They can adjust it for you and teach you how to do it yourself at home. Homeopathy may also be used in healing the valve transdermally (topically) as well as orally (liquid tincture drops containing herbs).
Massaging the valve can help to bring relief.
Though we suggest seeing a well trained Homeopathic Doctor or Chiropractor, trying this at home if you are in serious distress could very well help.
How to do Illeocecal Valve Massage: (special than you to Dr. Russ Tannenbaum, D.C. for these directions. http://www.drrtannenbaum.com)
To locate the ileocecal valve area (its placement can vary slightly for each person), place your left thumb on your navel, your right thumb on your right hip (the high part of your pelvic bone). Imagine a line connecting those two points and find the middle of that line.
Place all your fingers 3 inches below the middle of that line and you should be close to the ileocecal valve.
With all of your fingers, press in FIRMLY and find the tender spot. This area will be tender in 90% of people. It will be like finding a golf ball under a pillow – but some of us have more ‘pillow’ than others so keep palpating to locate the spot. (Palpate means to press in slowly but deeply to feel for hardened or tender areas.)
Sometimes it is easier to locate the tender spot while lying down. Using some coconut oil may also enable you to find it more easily. Once you’ve found it, massage it in a circular fashion as you would any cramped muscle. Massage with medium pressure, in a rotary motion for five seconds. Then using a closed fist, briskly stimulate reflex area (right upper arm) for 10 seconds – yes, that is your upper arm.
Ideally, this massage should be done 3 times a day before meals. At the least do it in bed before going to sleep and in the morning before you get out of bed.
After all, the whole digestive tract from the throat to the rectum is a muscular tube — and any section can cramp, get ‘Charlie horses,’ become too weak to function, etc. Some people experience gurgling, flatulence, burping, or other sounds during or after this massage and sometimes a bowel movement will follow.
All of these are evidence that the ileocecal valve needs help. You’ll find that the tenderness will subside after about a week or two of diligent application of this technique, and you’ll feel much better and be healthier for it.
Do the same massage for the rest of the colon:
Massage upward from the ileocecal valve and toward the ribs where the ascending colon lies.
Then go across the belly above the navel to the opposite rib, then down the left side, winding up on the opposite side of the abdomen from the ileocecal valve.
This firm deep massage encourages proper bowel function. Learn where your tender or hardened areas are and continue this massage daily until these resolve. This whole massage can be done through the clothing but take time to locate all of the tender spots. You’ll be healthier for it.
Temporary Diet Recommendations During Treatment
For two to three weeks–Avoid:
Hard to digest food: seeds, popcorn, nuts, potato chips, pretzels, and grains
Spices: all forms of peppers & culinary spices
Eliminate: alcoholic drinks, cocoa, chocolate, and caffeine
This condition CAN be healed…. So if you are experiencing symptoms that you have been unable to explain previously please consult a trained physician of Chiropractic, Kinesiology or Homeopathy.
Our natural state IS health, all else is temporary.
Sources:
http://healing.about.com/cs/conditions/a/aa_ileocecal.htm
http://www.kinesiology.co.uk/ileocecal_valve_treatments
https://healthunlocked.com/theibsnetwork/posts/640268/can-a-malfunctioning-ileocecal-valve-cause-ibs
http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/peek.aspx?id=2567
http://www.drrtannenbaum.com/index.php?p=162673 *
Originally Published: http://www.hcbl.com/blog/unexplained-symptoms-could-be-your-ileocecal-valve/ Author: Sarah Barendse
While I publish here I also have my own site, www.SarahBarendse.com. Please visit me there for more in depth articles!
