SCALE 20
HIGH HEPATIC CIRCULATION
 

CONTENTS

• EXPLANATION
• THE HEPATIC SYSTEM AND ITS CIRCULATION
• THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS
• DOCUMENTATION

    The hepatic circulation is the flow of blood and lymph through the liver and organs of the digestive, urinary, pulmonary and cardiovascular system.  The Edgar Cayce readings describe a primary hepatic circulation between the liver and kidneys which are important organs of elimination.  The hepatic circulation also includes other vital organs such as the intestines (hepatic portal), pancreas, spleen, gallbladder, lungs, and heart.  When the circulation through these organs is increased or high in volume, it is said to be a "high hepatic circulation."

    The hepatic circulation is also called the "internal" or "deep" circulation.  Edgar Cayce linked the hepatic circulation to the cerebrospinal (central) nervous system.  According to the Cayce readings, the hypogastric and pneumogastric nerves play a major role in regulating the hepatic circulation.

    From Edgar Cayce's perspective, high hepatic circulation is often associated with increased systemic toxicity.  In other words, the increased circulation is often a form of detoxification whereby the liver, kidneys and lungs throw off toxins.  High hepatic circulation can also be the body's response to infectious agents such as virus or bacteria.   A third pattern of high hepatic circulation may be produced by nerve reflexes which increase the internal (deep) circulation for no adaptive reason - simply a form of nervous system incoordination.

    To summarize, a high hepatic circulation may be associated with:

• increased blood flow to hepatic organs;
• a detoxification response - poor eliminations - high toxicity;
• response to infectious disease such as malaria - fever, etc. or the increased circulation may mimic infectious disorder due to autointoxication or nerve reflex;
• hypogastric and pneumogastric (cerebrospinal) nerve reflexes are often involved;
• engorgement of liver may result from the increased circulation;
• overtaxation of kidneys with inflammation to kidneys and bladder may occur;
• blood pressure is often irregular;
• fever or temperature, hot or cold flushes may be reported;
• high hepatic circulation is often at the expense of the superficial (external) circulation, producing symptoms such as dry skin or blemishes, coldness of extremities, etc.

    To better understand problems with the hepatic circulation, it may be helpful to consider a brief overview of the "hepatic system" and its patterns of circulation.  The organs of the hepatic system are:

• Liver
• Positive pole of body's battery,
• Excretory functioning - emunctory/cleansing through hepatic circulation,
• Secretive functioning - through gallbladder/bile/intestines,
• Gallbladder,
• Kidneys,
• Negative pole of body's battery,
• Secretive  functioning (although the readings mention both excretion and secretion from this organ),
• Pancreas,
• Spleen.

• The hepatic circulation is the "deep circulation" and corresponds to cerebrospinal nervous system as distinguished from superficial circulation (surface of body - sympathetic nervous system).
• The hepatic circulation can also be more narrowly defined as circulation between liver and kidneys.
• The upper hepatic circulation refers to the circulation betwen liver, heart and lungs - the upper body.
• The lower hepatic circulation refers to the circulation between the kidneys and urinary system - the lower body.
• The hepatic portal system refers to the circulation from the intestinal tract to the liver.
• Edgar Cayce also sometimes spoke of a day/night cycles in which the patterns of circulation alternated between the lower and upper hepatic circulation and the deep an superficial circulation.

    The Cayce readings recognize several pathophysiological patters associated with hepatic dysfunction, including:

• Torpid (sluggish) liver,
• Cold (low) hepatic circulation,
• High (hot) hepatic circulation,
• Incoordination between deep and superficial circulation,
• Day/night or upper/lower circulation (e.g., nightsweets).

    Common therapeutic interventions recommended by Edgar Cayce in cases involving high hepatic circulation include:
 

• MANUAL THERAPY - Spinal adjustments, manipulations, and massage were suggested to regulate blood flow to the hepatic organs and balance the general circulation, particularly when the cause of the circulatory imbalance was traced to nervous system incoordination.  Reading 4872-1 provides an excellent example of high hepatic circulation produced by nerve reflexes linked to an injury to the coccyx (tailbone).  Manual therapy to relieve the nerve pressure was recommended.

• HYDROTHERAPY - Since accumulation of toxins in the colon was a common etiological factor in cases of high hepatic circulation, colonic irrigations were the most frequent form of hydrotherapy recommended to balance hepatic circulation.

• DIET - A diet consisting primarily of fruits and vegetables was typically recommended to improve assimilations and eliminations.  Decreasing toxicity via a balanced diet with a preponderence of alkaline-reacting foods will help to take the load of the hepatic circulation.

• ELECTROTHERAPY - The violet ray appliance was the most frequently recommended form of electrotherapy for high hepatic circulation.