CranioSacral Therapy
This light-touch bodywork releases tensions in the central nervous system so the rest of the body can relax, self-correct and fully heal. Because it's so gentle and performed on clients fully clothed, CST is ideal for the whole family.
Using a soft touch which is generally no greater than 5 grams - about the weight of a nickel - CST relieves pain and dysfunction and improves whole-body health and performance. CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and it's effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.
How does CranioSacral Therapy Work?
Few structures have as much influence over the body's ability to function properly as the brain and spinal cord that make up the central nervous system. And, the central nervous system is heavily influenced by the craniosacral system - the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord.
Every day your body endures stresses and strains that it must work to compensate for. Unfortunately, these changes often cause body tissues to tighten and distort the craniosacral system. These distortions can then cause tension to form around the brain and spinal cord resulting in restrictions. This can create a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and potentially every other system it interacts with.
Fortunately, such restrictions can be detected and corrected using simple methods of touch. With a light touch, the CST practitioner uses his or her hands to evaluate the craniosacral system by gently feeling various locations of the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in any tissues influencing the craniosacral system.
By optimizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord and enhancing the body's ability to self-correct, CranioSacral Therapy is able to alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions, from chronic pain and sports injuries to stroke and neurological impairment.
What conditions does CranioSacral Therapy address?
- Migraines and Headaches
- Chronic Neck and Back Pain
- Vertigo
- Stress and Tension-Related Disorders
- Infant concerns such as constipation, nursing issues, sleep concerns and colic.
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
- Chronic Fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- TMJ Syndrome
- Scoliosis
- Central Nervous System Disorders
- Childhood issues such as Learning Disabilities, Behavioral Concerns, Autism and ADD/ADHD.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Orthopedic Problems
- And Many Other Conditions
How many CranioSacral Therapy sessions will I need?
Response to CST varies from individual to individual and condition to condition. Your response is uniquely your own and can't be compared to anyone else's - even those cases that may appear to be similar to your own. The number of sessions needed varies widely - from just one up to three or more a week over the course of several weeks.
*Contents excerpted from the Upledger Institute website.
