Craniosacral therapy is the manipulation of the bones of the skull to treat any number of conditions. Cranio refers to the head or cranium, and sacral refers to the five fused vertebrae at the base of the spine (sacrum).
Recent studies have shown that the craniosacral rhythm, which increases and decreases the volume of cerebrospinal fluid within and around the craniosacral system, can be restricted if the bones of the skull are displaced and/or overlapping. This can be caused by anything from a bump on the head, a sudden jolt that affects the neck, head or spine and cranium, to dysfunctions in other parts of the body, both physical and emotional.
Craniosacral therapy strengthens the body’s ability to alleviate a range of illness, pain, and dysfunction, including motor coordination impairments, migraine headaches, chronic fatigue, infantile disorders, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, scoliosis, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), emotional difficulties, central nervous system disorders, learning disabilities, stress and tension related problems, orthopedic problems, and posttraumatic stress disorders.
The craniosacral therapist is trained to feel with their hands the motion of the craniosacral system through extremely sensitive, gentle, and intuitive touch, thereby assisting the natural corrective tendency of the client’s body. The therapist is able to diagnose the movement of the system as a whole by locating critical points of restriction in the skull and sacrum as well as restrictions in the connective tissue of the muscles (fascia), and within the abdominal, respiratory, and thoracic diaphragms.
