CranioSacral Therapy

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. It was pioneered and developed by Osteopathic Physician John E. Upledger after years of clinical testing and research at Michigan State University where he served as professor of biomechanics.

Using a soft touch which is generally no greater than 5 grams – less the weight of a 10 cent coin – practitioners release restrictions in the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system. 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.

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 normalizing 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. By facilitating the body’s natural and innate healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive  has been shown to be beneficial for people seeking help with a wide range of healthcare challenges and symptoms including:

A typical CranioSacral Therapy session takes place in a quiet, private setting. You remain fully clothed as you relax on a comfortable, padded table.

Your physiotherapist begins by gently touching various parts of your body to monitor the rhythm of the fluid that is flowing around the central nervous system.

By carefully listening to the hands to locate areas of weak fluid flow or tissue motion, your practitioner can trace those areas of weakness through the body to the original source of dysfunction.

Delicate manual techniques are then used to release those problem areas and improve the form and function of your central nervous system.

A CranioSacral Therapy can last up to an hour. It can be used alone or integrated with other therapies to create powerful effects.

What you experience from your own session is highly individual. The sessions are generally deeply relaxing, creating feelings of warmth or gentle pulsing in the areas the therapist is working on.

BLACKWOOD OSTEOPATHY

Unit 3/ 26 Coromandel Parade, Blackwood.