My Experience with Digestive Troubles and How I can Support You with Chi Nei Tsang

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans have a digestive system diagnosis and symptom-based surveys tell us that almost 40% of people report digestive troubles disrupt their daily life (source).

Do you fit into one of these categories? I do and it led me to seek out alternatives rooted in traditions outside of the western system. Care based on something I already knew well, massage and energy work.

Looking back, I likely had digestive struggles from an early age. Like many kids of the 80's I was given a plethora of antibiotics for ear infections and grew up unaware that my digestive experience wasn't "normal". I got by relatively well until after the birth of my second baby at the age of 26, for the next 3 years I struggled with a variety of symptoms that ranged from fluctuations between diarrhea and constipation to severe pain that landed me in the ER. I was repeatedly told I was fine; they couldn't find anything. They told me my labs were "normal", that I was "young and healthy". I tried every elimination diet under the sun, some led to moderate relief, but nothing fixed it.

One day, lunch with a friend led to significant discomfort. Not only did my body purge all that it had recently taken in, I was unable to eat anything but apple slices for a week. Still a doctor put me off, they'd schedule an ultrasound for some time the following week. Two days after that doctor appointment I took myself to the ER and ended up in the hospital for 3 days with a sludge filled gall bladder and 3 stones stuck in my common bile duct.

After gall bladder removal I had continued issues, episodes that felt so similar to what I experienced prior to removal, but according to western medicine it was all in my head. I advocated for myself and pursued alternative healing, it led me to discover Taoist Abdominal Massage commonly known as Chi Nei Tsang. Though I still have ups and downs, addressing my issues through this lens has reduced my flare ups and helped them pass with more ease when they do occur.

What Is Chi Nei Tsang

Chi Nei Tsang is a gentle, deeply effective form of abdominal therapy that comes from the Taoist healing traditions of ancient China. The name translates to “working the energy of the internal organs,” and that’s exactly what this modality does. It supports the belly, the breath, and the nervous system in returning to a state of ease and healthy movement.

Unlike traditional massage that focuses on muscles, Chi Nei Tsang works directly with the organs, fascia, lymphatic pathways, and energetic centers of the abdomen.

How Chi Nei Tsang Supports Digestive Health

Far too many people experience bloating, sluggishness, constipation, tension through the belly, or that heavy, “stuck” feeling that makes it hard to breathe deeply or feel at ease in your own body. These symptoms are incredibly common, and they often show up when the abdomen becomes tight, stagnant, or overwhelmed by stress.

Chi Nei Tsang offers a gentle, effective way to support the digestive system by working directly with the organs, fascia, and breath. Instead of forcing anything, this work invites the belly to soften, circulate, and communicate again.

1. Improves Organ Mobility and Function

Your digestive organs need to glide, expand, and contract freely. When the fascia around them becomes tight from stress, inflammation, surgery, or chronic tension digestion can slow down.

Chi Nei Tsang uses slow, intentional touch to help the organs unwind and move more easily, which can support:

• reduced bloating

• smoother elimination

• improved motility

• less abdominal pressure

  
  

Clients often describe feeling “lighter” or “more open” through their core after just one session.

2. Supports the Nervous System (Your Gut–Brain Connection)

Your belly is home to a dense network of nerves. Current science shows that the nervous tissue in the gut is equally as important as that in the brain. When you’re stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, your gut feels it immediately.

Chi Nei Tsang helps shift the body out of fight‑or‑flight and into rest‑and‑digest by:

• calming the vagus nerve

• deepening the breath

• releasing emotional holding patterns

• reducing abdominal guarding

  
  

This nervous system support is often the missing piece for people whose digestive symptoms flare during stressful seasons of life.

3. Encourages Lymphatic and Circulatory Flow

Healthy digestion depends on healthy flow. The abdomen is a major hub for lymphatic movement, immune activity, and circulation. Gentle abdominal work helps reduce stagnation and encourages the body to clear inflammation more efficiently.

This is especially supportive for people experiencing:

• chronic bloating

• abdominal post‑surgical swelling

• inflammation around the gut

• sluggish metabolism or fatigue

Overall, this work is very helpful for people with ⬇️

• IBS, SIBO, and GERD

• Sluggish liver or slow bile flow

• Chronic bloating or constipation

• Stress‑related digestive symptoms

• Abdominal tension or guarding

• Post‑surgical recovery (with clearance)

• Menstrual or pelvic discomfort

• Shallow breathing or diaphragm tightness

• Emotional heaviness stored in the belly

  
  

If your digestion has been feeling off, or if you’re curious about reconnecting with your core in a deeper way, Chi Nei Tsang can be a beautiful place to begin.