Neurolymphatic Points and Ortho-Bionomy: a map for Lymphatic and Endocrine Support
Within Ortho-Bionomy, the neurolymphatic points are ways of connecting with the body’s neurolymphatic network and endocrine system. These mapped sites, first described by osteopath Frank Chapman, show relationships between glands, organs, and the body’s subtle systems of regulation.
Ortho-Bionomy has carried this map into its own practice — not as a prescriptive chart, but as a way to listen more deeply to the body. Through the gentle methods of Ortho-Bionomy, especially Phase 4, these points can be engaged to support release, alignment, and flow.
A Brief History: Dr. Frank Chapman and the Neurolymphatic Map
Dr. Frank Chapman, D.O., graduated from the American School of Osteopathy in 1897. By the late 1920s, after years of clinical practice, he had mapped more than 200 neurolymphatic reflex points through observation of tender nodules that appeared in cases of visceral disturbance (Chapman, 1929). He proposed that these points reflected lymphatic congestion and could reveal connections between structural tension, organ function, and systemic health.
Chapman’s work was continued and refined by his wife and later by Dr. Charles Owens, who published An Endocrine Interpretation of Chapman’s Reflexes in 1937. Owens placed the reflex points in the wider context of the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems, linking them to emerging understandings of hormonal regulation (Owens, 1937).
Although Chapman’s charts were not widely adopted outside osteopathy, they remain recognised within manual therapy as one of the earliest attempts to map systemic function through surface reflex points (Beal, 2003). Today, they continue to provide a precise guide for practitioners interested in the interplay between the body’s musculoskeletal, fluid, and glandular systems.
How Ortho-Bionomy Meets Neurolymphatic Points
In Ortho-Bionomy, the points are approached through presence and precision. A practitioner may rest a fingertip lightly on a point, feeling for qualities of tissue such as tone, tension, or stagnation. The response is subtle. If needed, the point may be met through:
Gentle circular motion with a fingertip, inviting flow to return.
Phase 4 positional release, where the body is moved into ease, allowing natural reorganisation.
The release comes not from stimulation, but from the body recognising its own potential for balance.
Supporting the Lymphatic and Endocrine Systems
Each point reflects a conversation between organ, gland, and fluid system:
Lymphatic system — Contact may open pathways, shift stagnation, and restore permeability.
Endocrine system — Points linked to glands such as the adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, and reproductive organs often refine in tone, supporting clearer hormonal signalling.
Together, these subtle systems begin to interact more fluidly — lymph clearing and nourishing the terrain, glands refining communication, and the whole environment becoming more organised.
A Precise Map for Exploring Pain and Patterns
The value of Chapman’s neurolymphatic map lies in its precision. Each point corresponds to a specific organ or aspect of the neurolymphatic system, offering a clear guide into areas that may otherwise remain hidden.
In Ortho-Bionomy, this precision broadens how we can explore patterns of pain and tension. If a certain organ shows signs of stress, the practitioner can trace the map to its corresponding neurolymphatic point, feeling into its quality and releasing it if needed. Likewise, when a client identifies a painful area, it may relate back to a neurolymphatic point — revealing how referred pain can signal deeper systemic involvement.
Through this lens, the map becomes more than a chart. It is a way of understanding how nerves, fluids, and glands move throughout the body, and how localised discomfort may reflect broader systemic dynamics. It brings clarity to patterns that may seem diffuse, and opens a path toward working with them in greater depth.
The precision of the map also widens the practitioner’s sense of connection. Each point is both local and systemic — reflecting how organs, glands, fluids, and nerves interrelate. By engaging these points, Ortho-Bionomy offers a way of tracing pain back to its roots, recognising how the body expresses patterns through multiple layers at once.
Precision and Presence in Practice
The neurolymphatic points remind us that healing is not only about muscles and joints, but also about the subtler systems that sustain balance. Chapman’s map offers a precise guide, and Ortho-Bionomy provides the gentle methods to engage it — presence, light contact, positional ease.
Together, they form a practice that is both exact and compassionate: precise enough to orient us toward the deeper workings of the body, and gentle enough to let change arise from within.
Bibliography
Chapman, F. (1929). Neurolymphatic Reflexes: The Somatic Expression of Visceral Disease. Kansas City: The American School of Osteopathy.
Owens, C. (1937). An Endocrine Interpretation of Chapman’s Reflexes. Los Angeles: Academy Press.
Beal, M. C. (2003). “Chapman’s Reflexes Revisited: A Modern Appraisal.” Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 103(4), 181–185.