Attacking the Solar Plexus

[Mark Jordan]

Solar plexus is located at the inverted v-shape of the bottom of your rib cage which is the exact center of the torso. This is where the specialized nerves intermingle, rebundled for various organs and set off in new directions.

The immediate effect is the transient or temporary diaphragmatic spasm which could knock the wind out of you and making it difficult to breathe.

Getting a hard blow on this area can also damage the nerves and cause serious organ dysfunction.

 

[K-man]

Solar plexus is located at the inverted v-shape of the bottom of your rib cage which is the exact center of the torso.

Sorry. That is not correct. Look for the 'caeliac' plexus on this diagram. It is right inside, behind the stomach, nowhere near the surface.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gray838.png

The location to strike to affect the solar plexus is where you describe.

If you read the earlier threads you will get a better picture but #23 is from a MD.

Language is always a devil.

Solar Plexus - that Portion of the prevertebral plexus which lies in front and to the sides of the aorta at the origin of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric and renal arteries. It contains celiac ganglia, the superior mesenteric ganglia and small unnamed ganglionic masses. Branches of the plexus extend along the adjacent artery. (Plexus means network or tangle) (solar refers to the radiating away from the center like light does from the sun.)

This net work will be very difficult to access from the outside because it is deep in our abdomen. Extreme focal blunt force injury should be needed to actually injure this plexus.

Colloquial use of "Solar Plexus" refers to the soft spot in the central upper abdomen. Strikes here may cause dyspnea and nausea. I can find no convincing proof that strikes here cause diaphragmatic paralysis and suspect that the dyspnea results from guarding against pain and not using the diaphragm to breathe. In fact if I have a student balled up after such a strike getting them to stretch upright and breathe with their belly (actually with their diaphragm) usually solves the problem. The nausea probably is secondary to direct stomache trauma especially if the stomache is still full.

Rib injuries are discussed well above but are probably separate from the SolarPlexus discussion. The Xyphoid is tough and it would probably take a high velocity piece of lead to shatter it and send it into the Plexus.

Hope this is helpful.

Jeff M.D.,
Family Practice
Just a simple country doctor but as county coroner get more than my share of oportunities to view the results of trauma.

 

[marlon]

No you can't.

So, what are the strikes in the general area that people are calling the solar plexus all about.

Also, how does one achieve the best effect from striking that area? How does one make a strike there effectively?

Many thanks
Marlon

 

[Touch Of Death]

So, what are the strikes in the general area that people are calling the solar plexus all about.

Also, how does one achieve the best effect from striking that area? How does one make a strike there effectively?

Many thanks
Marlon

Best hit when breathing in. Listen for pants. We all know it hurts to get hit there. Why is some sciency babble going to change anything? There is a location on the body that really hurts when you hit it, just above the belly button and below the rib cage. Now go!
Sean

 

[marlon]

Well you are absolutely right and my first instinct is to bow and thank you for the KISS reminder. Yet, a sciency response might lead me somewhere I need to go. So, I accept your reprimand and will honor the wisdom you shared and still hope for another response...if that is possible to do respectfully.

Marlon

 

[Indie12]

This isn't a question on any technique in particular, I was just wondering what the medical effect of hitting someone in the solar plexus is. I know it hurts quite a bit, but I'm wondering why? Perhaps Doc could chime in. Thanks in advance!

All of your important organs (minus the brain and heart) are located in your solar plexus, and are vulnerable to injury very easily. There are millions of nerve connections running through your solar plexus which act as a 'warning' system when your hit. Your ribs, will to a point protect some of the organs, but the intestines and fat around your organs are what protects those vital areas.

-EMS Provider!

 

[Indie12]

Language is always a devil.

Solar Plexus - that Portion of the prevertebral plexus which lies in front and to the sides of the aorta at the origin of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric and renal arteries. It contains celiac ganglia, the superior mesenteric ganglia and small unnamed ganglionic masses. Branches of the plexus extend along the adjacent artery. (Plexus means network or tangle) (solar refers to the radiating away from the center like light does from the sun.)

This net work will be very difficult to access from the outside because it is deep in our abdomen. Extreme focal blunt force injury should be needed to actually injure this plexus.

Colloquial use of "Solar Plexus" refers to the soft spot in the central upper abdomen. Strikes here may cause dyspnea and nausea. I can find no convincing proof that strikes here cause diaphragmatic paralysis and suspect that the dyspnea results from guarding against pain and not using the diaphragm to breathe. In fact if I have a student balled up after such a strike getting them to stretch upright and breathe with their belly (actually with their diaphragm) usually solves the problem. The nausea probably is secondary to direct stomache trauma especially if the stomache is still full.

Rib injuries are discussed well above but are probably separate from the SolarPlexus discussion. The Xyphoid is tough and it would probably take a high velocity piece of lead to shatter it and send it into the Plexus.

Hope this is helpful.

Jeff M.D.,
Family Practice
Just a simple country doctor but as county coroner get more than my share of oportunities to view the results of trauma.

Nice post! In many perspectives

I'd agree, however I would also argue that it's not that hard to seriously injure the solar plexus region. For example a Motor Vehicle Accident could cause serious life threatening damage to the region, or if you were to be hit in the area, could cause serious life threatening damage. The Solar Plexus region truly is an easy area to injure and with not alot of effort. But that's up for debate I guess!

 

[K-man]

All of your important organs (minus the brain and heart) are located in your solar plexus, and are vulnerable to injury very easily. There are millions of nerve connections running through your solar plexus which act as a 'warning' system when your hit. Your ribs, will to a point protect some of the organs, but the intestines and fat around your organs are what protects those vital areas.

-EMS Provider!

Mmm! I don't think so. What organ do you think is 'in your solar plexus'?

The celiac plexus, also known as the solar plexus, is a complex network of nerves (a plexus) located in the abdomen, where the celiac trunk. superior mesenteric artery, and renal arteries branch from the abdominal aorta. It is in back of the stomach and the omental bursa, and in front of the crura of the diaphragm, on the level of the first lumbar vertebra, L1.
The plexus is formed (in part) by the greater and lesser splanchnic nerves of both sides, and also parts of the right vagus nerve.
The celiac plexus proper consists of the celiac ganglia with a network of interconnecting fibers. The aorticorenal ganglia are often considered to be part of the celiac ganglia, and thus, part of the plexus.

The term 'solar plexus' is colloquially used to describe the area just below the xiphoid process, but this is not technically correct. To suggest that, "all of your important organs (minus the brain and heart) are located in your solar plexus", is just plain wrong. Most of the organs are located in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. I would also question whether the brain is an 'organ'. I prefer to think that it is the brain that controls the functioning or the organs. It is mainly these nerves that run through the solar plexus.

This might sound pedantic but if we are trying to have a technical discussion we have to start from a factual base. :asian: