Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral System (Head)
Illustration from the Upledger Institute
(Click to enlarge)
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the function of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system. The craniosacral system maintains the environment in which the nervous system functions. It plays a major role in the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord. The system is comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. The system extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth (that make up the cranium) all the way down to the tailbone area (sacrum). Dysfunction or imbalance in the system can lead to sensory, motor, and/or neurological disabilities.
Like the pulse of the cardiovascular system, the craniosacral system has a rhythm that can be felt throughout the body. This subtle rhythm is generated by spinal fluid as it is pumped through the brain and spinal cord. Using a touch generally no heavier than the weight of a nickel, skilled practitioners can monitor the strength, quality, and amplitude of this rhythm at specific body areas in order to pinpoint the source of restrictions and imbalances. Once the source has been determined, the practitioner can assist the natural movement of the fluid and related soft tissue to help the body’s self-healing mechanisms.
Craniosacral Therapy may help many conditions as it can affect all aspects of the body by enhancing general health, reducing stress and improving brain and spinal cord function. It is commonly used to treat conditions such as chronic neck and back pain, migraines and headaches, sinusitis, stress and tension-related problems, chronic fatigue, central nervous system disorders, Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, orthopedic problems, and many other conditions. Craniosacral Therapy may also be combined with other complementary therapies to help restore the body to its optimum functioning level.
Craniosacral Therapy is contraindicated in conditions where a variation and/or slight increase in intracranial pressure would cause instability. Some examples of conditions that could be affected by small intracranial pressure changes are cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral aneurysm.
History of Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral System (Body)
Illustration from the Upledger Institute
(Click to enlarge)
While assisting with a spinal surgery in 1970, John E. Upledger, an osteopathic physician, first observed the rhythmic movement of what would soon be identified as the craniosacral system. Upledger began to research this phenomenon, specifically focusing on the work of Dr. William Sutherland. Early in the 1900s, Sutherland explored the concept that the bones of the skull were structured to allow for movement. Over time and with considerable research, Upledger theorized that a hydraulic system might function inside a membranous sac encased within the skull and the canal of the spinal column. He reasoned that this hydraulic functioning played a central role in cranial bone movement. In 1975, Dr. Upledger joined the Osteopathic College at Michigan State University as a clinical researcher and professor in the Department of Biomechanics, where he led a multi-disciplinary research team, which established the scientific basis for the existence of the craniosacral system and function. The team was able to explain in scientific and practical terms the function of the craniosacral system. They were also able to demonstrate how this system could be used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal cord, as well as many other health problems.
Integrative Health Dynamics 