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CRANIOSACRAL $75 per session
The Therapeutic Value of CranioSacral Therapy We are all familiar with the cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms. Another body rhythm- the craniosacral system, also influences many body functions. An imbalance in this system can adversely affect the development of brain and spinal cord, which can result in sensory, motor and neurological dysfunction. The craniosacral system is a physiological system that exists not only in humans but. in animals possessing a brain and spinal cord. Its function continues until death. The craniosacral system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds and protect the brain and spinal cord. It extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth, which is the cranium, down to the sacrum, or tailbone. The positive effect of craniosacral therapy relies to a large extent upon the patient's natural self-corrective physiological activities The therapist's light, hands-on approach assists the hydraulic forces inherent in the craniosacral system to improve the internal environment. Because of its influence on many body functions, craniosacral therapy is used today by a wide variety of healthcare professionals including osteopaths, medical doctors, doctors of chiropractic medicine, psychiatrists, psychologists, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists and licensed massage therapists. How Is CranioSacral Therapy Performed ? C raniosacral therapy is a gentle, noninvasive manipulative technique.Seldom does the therapist apply pressure that exceeds five grams or the equivalent weight of a nickel. Examination is done by testing movement in various parts of the system. Often, when movement testing is completed, the restriction has been removed and the system is able to self correct. Trained therapists are able to palpate the motion of the craniosacral system anywhere on a patient's body. Valuable information can be gained very quickly with regard to rate, amplitude, symmetry and quality of craniosacral motion. The region of the craniosacral system that can be easily palpated are the bones of the skull, sacrum and coccyx because they attach to the membranes enclosing the cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid is filtered out of the blood in a dynamic feedback loop. Pressure build’s as the amount of cerebrospinal fluid increases, bathing the brain and s pinal cord in an action similar to a semi-closed hydraulic system. When the fluid moves, normally at a rate of 6 to 12 cycles per second, the membranes containing the fluid move. Palpation is possible with all of the other bones of the spine and pelvis. Because of their less direct effect on the hydraulic system, however, it is more difficult to detect the motion. The same is true of the facial bones and the temporomandibular joints.
C raniosacral therapy is used to locate and solve problems. It encouragesyour own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your brain and spinal cord, to dissipate the negative effects of stress and to enhancer your general health and resistance to disease
What is the Origin of the Craniosacral System and Its Therapy? While the existence of the cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms is not in dispute today. A debate concerning their reality raged in medical communities around the globe for centuries. Even today, treatment for afflictions associated with these systems remains as diverse as the diseases and their individual practitioners– especially in the area of health maintenance. The history of the craniosacral system’s discovery is fairly recent. In 1970, during a surgery on a patient’s neck, Dr. Upledger viewed the rhythmical movement of a membranous boundary of what appeared to be a hydraulic system. He concluded that the pressure inside the membrane sac was fluctuating rhythmically. Two years later Dr. Upledger attended a seminar that explained some of the research of Dr. Sutherland on the effects of movable bones in the adult skull. Coupling his scientific background with a tactile sensitivity, Dr. Upledger was quick to understand how a hydraulic system might function inside a skull and canal of the spinal column. Dr Upledger incorporated and refined Dr. Sutherland’s techniques with success. In 1975 he was asked to join the Osteopathic college at Michigan State University as a clinician-researcher and Professor in the Department of Biomechanics. He led a multidisciplinary research team made up of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers through a maze of research that first established the scientific basis for the craniosacral system. The team was able to explain in scientific and practical terms the function of the craniosacral system. They also showed how this system could be used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal cord, as well as a myriad of other health problems that previously were misunderstood or poorly understood.
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