Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, noninvasive and hands-on treatment that may provide relief from pain, like headaches and neck pain, side effects of cancer treatment and more.
The cornerstone of the CS system is the ability of the bones of the skull to move in relation to one another as the cerebrospinal fluid moves through the attached membranes. The CS treatment is based on this relatively recent finding (it was once thought that the bones of the skull were fixed and immovable in relation to one another) as well as on the literature documenting and discussing CS research and theory.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is made in the brain and travels through the CS system. It is then resorbed into the blood via the venous system. Production of the CSF is halted when a certain pressure level is reached. As the pressure subsequently drops with resorbtion, CSF production begins again. This ebb and flow of fluid through the meninges of the brain creates a rhythm (of bone and attached tissues) unique to the CS system.
Since the membranes through which the CSF flows are attached to the skull bones, they move in response to the increase and decrease in pressure. The movement of these bones forms the basis of the CS diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis of physiological problems is based on the clinician’s ability to assess the rate, amplitude and symmetry of the CS rhythm. The rate of CS rhythm will go up and the amplitude will go down when the meningeal membranes are restricted somewhere. Lack of symmetry helps the clinician assess where a loss of physiological motion is occurring. This could be from injuries, inflammation, scars, fascial adhesions, etc.
There is a connective tissue sheath that surrounds all body parts. This sheath is known as the fascia. It is connected to the CS system and moves with the CS rhythm. There will be a rocking motion of the sacrum and a widening and narrowing of the head during the CS pulse. A skilled clinician will also be able to feel this rhythm on other parts of the body as the fascia moves with the CS rhythm. The clinician will correct the rhythm with gentle, subtle movements of the skull, the sacrum and other areas where fascia is restricted.
This service is provided by Dr. Todd A. Born.