Is Craniosacral Therapy for Me?

Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle hands-on treatment that facilitates healing throughout the body. The cranisacral system is comprised of the bones of the cranium, cranial sutures, spinal column and sacrum. Cerebrospinal fluid protects and nourishes the brain and spinal cord and makes up the internal environment of the system. The fluid production and reabsorption within the system creates a wave like motion or rhythm.

Craniosacral Therapy has been used successfully to relieve a variety of sensory and/or motor neurological dysfunctions. In addition to headaches, neck and back pain, it’s been used effectively on jaw dysfunction, chronic fatigue, muscle coordination difficulties, depression, eye problems, hyperactivity, central nervous system disorders and many other conditions.

With migraines, of course, there can be multiple causes. Virtually anything that interferes with the autonomic nervous control of the blood vessels in the head can result in migraine. In general, CranioSacral Therapy does a very good job of normalizing autonomic nervous activity. It effectively mobilizes the membrane system within the head to take pressure off either the nerve that is controlling the blood vessel, or the blood vessel that may be causing the headache. It is also an effective stress reducer, which makes it particularly effective with migraines since they’re often precipitated or triggered by stress.

Since I started using the method, I’ve seen migraines and other types of headache respond well to CranioSacral Therapy. In my experience, within five to ten sessions you will either know the migraines are responding to the therapy or it will have fully corrected the underlying problem that led to the pain in the first place.

Our bodies are designed to defend against and to assist in its own healing process. Sometimes physical or emotional trauma can occur which cause an imbalance or restriction in the system. This interferes with the body’s innate inability to self-correct. The therapist can tune into and detect disturbances or asymmetry in the rhythm which help identify areas of dysfunction or restriction. Once these areas are evident, the therapist seeks to help the body restore itself to a more optimal level of functioning. By following certain subtle cues, restrictions throughout the body can be released, movement of cerebral spinal fluid optimized and balance restored to the system.

What are the benefits of Craniosacral Therapy?
Using a soft touch, generally no greater than five grams or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.

By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction including:

• Migraine headaches
• Chronic neck and back pain
• Motor coordination impairments
• Colic
• Autism
• Central nervous system disorders
• Orthopedicproblems
• Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries
• Scoliosis
• Infantile disorders
• Learning disabilities
• Chronic fatigues
• Emotional difficulties
• Stress and tension related problems
• Fibromyalgia and other connective tissue disorders
• Temporomandibular joint syndrome
• Neurovascular or immune disorders
• Post traumatic stress disorder
• Post surgical dysfunction HWS

Rhoda Collins, RMT has many years of experience in Europe, Canada and the U.S. and is now owner of Home Comfort Therapy, Inc. in the Niagara Region providing therapy to patients to offer the comfort, convenience and security in their homes. For more information call 905.359.2197 or visit www.HomeComfortTherapy.com to book online.