What is CranioSacral Therapy?
And What Do CranioSacral Practitioners Treat?
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a light touch manual therapy used to directly and indirectly treat our craniosacral system, nervous system and deep tensions throughout the body.
The craniosacral system is a system much like our cardiovascular system and digestive system, even though we do not typically learn about it in school. The craniosacral (CS) system includes the brain, the spinal cord, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that nourishes and protects our brain, and the fascial membranes that act like an envelope to enclose this system, known as the meninges or the dural membrane.
Once you know the parts of the craniosacral system, the name CranioSacral Therapy starts to make a bit more sense. In a lot of our treatment techniques we directly, but very gently, treat the cranial bones of the skull, the dural membrane (and its bony attachments) and the sacrum, which is the base of our spine and the CS system. Thus, when we directly treat the CS system, we are treating from the cranium to the sacrum.
CranioSacral techniques are, however, not limited to just treating the head, spine and pelvis.
Techniques can be used throughout the body, including on our muscles, fascia, bones, joints, blood vessels, organs (viscera) and peripheral nerves. Problematic areas can absolutely be treated individually as necessary, but often the true work is done while working the with the central nervous system (CNS) and the CS system (and therefore the body as a whole). Because our nervous system so closely directs the work of all of our body systems, we can achieve great success by working centrally. Just like the song alludes to, “our foot bone’s connected to our — ankle bone…”, all the structures and systems of the body are connected and integrated, so when we work with one or more systems we can truly affect them all, improving the overall health and vitality of our whole self, not just the “problem area”.
As I mentioned above, working with our nervous system and our craniosacral system allows us to address many structures and problems. This list below is NOT exhaustive, otherwise this article would be just as long as one of Dr. Upledger’s textbooks. If you have any questions about the scope and abilities of practitioners, please see the resource section below, ask your question in the comment section, or follow my page and keep an eye out for future articles.
Here are some examples to highlight the abilities of a CranioSacral Practitioner and the reasons you should see one:
- Stress-Reduction
- Tension and Spasm Relief
- Chronic Pain Relief
- Edema, Swelling and Inflammation Reduction
- Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment
- Headache and Migraine Treatment
- TMJ Pain Treatment
- Dental Pain, Bite Malalignment and Post-Dental Procedure Treatment
- Ear, Nose, Throat and Sinus Treatment: tinnitus (ringing in the ears)/ barometric and pressure-change sensitivity/chronic infections/sinus pressure balancing/tension in the throat or problems swallowing, talking, or singing
- Chronic Lung Conditions, including Infections and Bronchitis
- Whiplash and Neck Pain
- Low Back Pain, SI Pain, Scoliosis
- Disc or Nerve-related Injuries and Symptoms
- Joint and Bone Health
- Visceral Health and Vitality
- Whole System Health and Vitality
Fantastic CranioSacral work and research have also been done for the treatment of those with:
- Autism
- Autoimmune Disorders
- ADD/ADHD
- Infant and Childhood Disorders
- Learning Disabilities, including Dyslexia
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Central Nervous System Disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s
- And Peripheral Nervous System Disorders, including Fibromyalgia
Those who have studied CST or have seen CST practitioners for treatment may also be aware of SomatoEmotional Release, which is part the scope and realm of CranioSacral Therapy. If you would like to read more about SomatoEmotional Release (SER), please read **this article (coming soon)** where I expand on SER and how it fits into the approach of whole-body wellness.
Want to learn more? Here are some resources to get you started:
- CranioSacral Therapy FAQ: https://www.upledger.com/therapies/faq.php
- Find a Practitioner Near You: https://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php
- Upledger Research, Articles and Case Studies: https://www.upledger.com/therapies/articles.php
- Follow my Medium Account to get Notifications for New Articles: https://courtneyvanbeers.medium.com/
- Visit my Website to Explore Resources or Submit a Question: https://cvbwellness.com/
Take care,
Courtney V.
