CranioSacral therapy is one of many terms used to describe a
various methods based on:
The human brain makes rhythmic movements at a rate of 10 to
14 cycles per minute, a periodicity unrelated to breathing
or heart rate.
Small cranial pulsations can be felt with the fingertips.
Restrictions of movement of the cranial sutures (where the
skull bones meet) interfere with the normal flow of
cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the brain and
spinal cord) and cause disease.
Pain (especially of the jaw joint) and many other ailments
can be remedied by pressing on the skull bones.
Most practitioners are osteopaths, massage therapists,
chiropractors, dentists, or physical therapists.
CranioSacral therapy was originated by osteopath William G.
Sutherland, who published his first article on this subject in
the early 1930s. Today's leading proponent is John Upledger, DO,
who operates the Upledger Institute of Palm Beach Gardens,
Florida.
CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, noninvasive manipulative
technique. Seldom does the therapist apply pressure that exceeds
five grams or the equivalent weight of a nickel. Examination is
done by testing for movement in various parts of the system.
Often, when movement testing is completed, the restriction has
been removed and the system is able to self-correct [1].
The rhythm of the CranioSacral system can be detected in much
the same way as the rhythms of the cardiovascular and
respiratory systems. But unlike those body systems, both
evaluation and correction of the CranioSacral system can be
accomplished through palpation. CranioSacral Therapy is used for
a myriad of health problems, including headaches, neck and back
pain, TMJ dysfunction, chronic fatigue, motor-coordination
difficulties, eye problems, endogenous depression,
hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, central nervous
system disorders, and many other conditions [2].
Practitioners today rely on CranioSacral Therapy to improve the
functioning of the central nervous system, eliminate the
negative effects of stress, strengthen resistance to disease,
and enhance overall health [3].
Using a soft touch, generally no greater than 5 grams or about
the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in
the CranioSacral system to improve the functioning of the
central nervous system. By complementing the body's natural
healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive
health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease,
and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated
with pain and dysfunction, including: migraine headaches;
chronic neck and back pain; motor-coordination impairments;
colic; autism; central nervous system disorders; orthopedic
problems; traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries; scoliosis;
infantile disorders; learning disabilities; chronic fatigue;
emotional difficulties; stress and tension-related problems;
fibromyalgia and other connective-tissue disorders;
temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ); neurovascular or immune
disorders; post-traumatic stress disorder; post-surgical
dysfunction [4].
Discover CranioSacral Therapy. Undated flyer distributed in
1997 by the Upledger Institute.
Upledger CranioSacral Therapy I. Brochure for course,
November 1997.
For serious education in complementary care . . . come to
the source. Brochure for course, Upledger Institute, Aug
2001.
CranioSacral Therapy. Upledger Institute Web site accessed
Aug 15, 2001.
Click here to find a CranioSacral practitioner.
During the course of our lives our bodies become patterned,
shaped and conditioned according to how we’re able to deal with
any stresses or traumas. If stresses or traumas are
overwhelming, they become locked in the body, forcing
compensation until such a time as we are able to access
resources that allow them to be processed and released. These
compensations often become painful and effect the natural
movement of the body’s energy and so hinder the ability of our
essential blueprint for health to manifest at a cellular level.
Common causes are physical injuries, emotional and psychological
stresses, birth trauma and toxicity. Due to an accumulation of
these stresses, tissues can become imprinted with the memory of
unresolved experiences and so act like video tape which may keep
replaying whenever stimulated.
The emphasis in CranioSacral Therapy is to help ease
restrictions in the membranes of the CranioSacral system. This
involves the practitioner "listening through the hands" to the
rhythm and with subtle palpation skills the practitioner can
identify areas where restrictions are held and then treat with
the intention that treatment is to facilitate the body's own
self-healing and self-regulating capabilities. This is done in a
non-invasive way while fully clothed.
A typical CranioSacral therapy session is performed with the
client fully-clothed, in a supine position (face-up), and
usually lasts about one hour. In the Upledger method of
CranioSacral therapy, a ten-step protocol serves as a general
guideline, which includes (1) analyzing the base (existing)
cranial rhythm, (2) creating a still point in that rhythm at the
base of the skull, (3) rocking the sacrum, (4) lengthening the
spine in the lumbar-sacral region, (5) addressing the pelvic,
respiratory and thoracic diaphragms, (6) releasing the hyoid
bone in the throat, and (7-10) addressing each one of the
cranial bones. The practitioner may use discretion in using
which steps are suitable for each client, and may or may not
follow them in sequential order, with time restraints and the
extent of trauma being factors.
The therapist places their hands lightly on the patient's body,
tuning in to the patient by ‘listening’ with their hands or, in
Sutherland's words, "with thinking fingers". Therapeutic contact
between the patient and therapist may involve entrainment
between patient and practitioner. Clients often experience a
sense of deep relaxation during and after the treatment session,
and may feel light-headed. This is popularly associated with
increases in endorphins, but research shows the effects may
actually be brought about by the endocannabinoid system.
(Outside the brain, the
endocannabinoid
system
is
one of the crucial modulators of the autonomic
nervous
system,
the immune
system
and microcirculation.)