FSM provides clinically verifiable relief from both somatic and visceral issues, and there is still widespread acceptance that visceral dysfunctions can elevate somatic muscle tension. For example, flank muscle hypertonicity can arise secondary to renal dysfunction, and trigger points can be activated in acute appendicitis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulitis. FSM, acupuncture, and other energy medicine techniques document interactions between the epidermis and internal organs.

Relationships between somatic and visceral systems can be described in terms of chemistry (metabolic imbalances in the periphery might impact organ functions and vice versa); in terms of neurology, such as the convergence of visceral and somatic afferent nerves; in terms of structural or fascial relationships between peripheral structures and organs; in terms related to the endocrine system and lymphatic drainage (Chapman’s Points); and in terms of energetic pathways between the skin and internal organs, as theorized, for example, in acupuncture.