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What is CranioSacral Therapy?

CranioSacral Therapy is a light-touch manual therapy that addresses restrictions in the craniosacral system – the membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.  This vital system extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum or tailbone area.

Since the craniosacral system directly impacts the central nervous system, it’s easy to see how an imbalance there could cause any number of sensory, motor or neurological disabilities.  CranioSacral Therapy helps correct those restrictions so the body can release the effects of stress – naturally.

Research strongly suggests that the birth process is responsible for many brain dysfunctions and central nervous system problems.  CranioSacral Therapy carried out in the delivery room or within the first few days of life could potentially reduce a wide variety of difficulties, many of which might not become apparent until your child is in school.  Even problems with head shape and skull-bone override can be corrected with the skillful use of CranioSacral Therapy.

The bottom line is, when properly applied, CranioSacral Therapy is essentially risk-free. So no matter how old you are it’s never too late to benefit from this essential therapy.

How Is CranioSacral Therapy Performed?

CranioSacral Therapy is performed on a person fully clothed.  Using light touch – generally no more than the weight of a nickel – the practitioner monitors the rhythm of the craniosacral system to detect potential restrictions and imbalances.  The therapist then uses delicate manual techniques to release those problem areas and relieve undue pressure on the brain and spinal cord.

A CranioSacral Therapy session can last from about 15 minutes to more than an hour, and the initial evaluation alone is often enough to correct a problem.  The result?  A central nervous system free of restrictions and a body that’s able to return to its greatest levels of performance. 

What Conditions Does CranioSacral Therapy Address?

CranioSacral Therapy strengthens your body’s ability to take better care of itself.  It can assist in alleviating a wide range of illnesses, pain and dysfunction, including:

• Migraines and Headaches
• Chronic Neck and Back Pain
• Motor-Coordination Impairments
• Stress and Tension-Related Problems
• Infantile Disorders
• Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
• Chronic Fatigue
• Scoliosis
• Central Nervous System Disorders
• Emotional Difficulties
• Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
• Learning Disabilities
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Orthopedic Problems
• And Many Other Conditions

The Therapeutic Value of CranioSacral Therapy

While the validity of the cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms is undisputed today, for eons the very existence of these systems sparked debates in medical communities around the globe.

Now for nearly 25 years, osteopathic physician and researcher John E, Upledger , D.O., O.M.M., has been a proponent of using the rhythm of another body system --the craniosacral system -- to enhance body functioning, and help alleviate pain and discomfort.

The craniosacral system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.  It extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum, or tailbone area.

Since this vital system influences the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord, an imbalance or restriction in it could potentially cause any number of sensory, motor or neurological disabilities.  These problems could include chronic pain, eye difficulties, scoliosis, motor-coordination impairments, learning disabilities and other health challenges.

CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle method of detection and correction that encourages your own natural healing mechanisms to dissipate these negative effects of stress on your central nervous system.  You also benefit from better overall health and resistance to disease.

 How Did CranioSacral Therapy Begin?

CranioSacral Therapy dates back to 1970 when osteopathic physician John E. Upledger first witnessed the rhythmic movement of the craniosacral system during a spinal surgery.  Yet none of his colleagues nor medical texts could explain the phenomenon.

Two years later, Dr. Upledger attended a short course on cranial osteopathy developed by Dr. William Sutherland in the early 1900’s.  The course focused on the bones of the skull and the fact – surprising at the time – that they weren’t fused as doctors had been taught in medical school.  Instead, Sutherland’s material demonstrated that skull bones continue to move throughout a person’s life.

Putting this new information together with the odd pulsing rhythm he’d observed years before, Dr. Upledger theorized that a hydraulic system of sorts was functioning inside the craniosacral system.  He then set out to confirm his theories.

In 1975 he joined the Osteopathic College at Michigan State University as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics.  There he led a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers to test and document the influence of therapy on the craniosacral system.  For the first time they were able to explain the function of the craniosacral system, and demonstrate how light-touch therapy could be used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal cord.