At the end of the 19th
century, osteopath William Sutherland observed that the bones of the skull,
particularly those at the sides of the head, had the potential to move.
Investigating further, he noticed a rhythmic movement between the cranial bones
in the head and the large sacral bone at the base of the spine. This, he
concluded, was due to the pulse of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as it moves around
the brain and down the spinal cord. He found that he could feel the tidal
motion of CSF in his patients and used this in both the diagnosis and treatment
of bodily disorders. This way of working has subsequently been developed
by many other practitioners, and is known as craniosacral therapy.
Rhythmic contractions in the brain are said occur 8-12 times
a minute and these can be constricted by a lack of movement in both the cranial
and sacral bones, invariably leading to illness. Other longer ‘tides’ have
also been found to exist, occurring once every 25 and 100 seconds, respectively.
It is the job of the craniosacral therapist to detect any abnormality in the
cerebrospinal pulse and correct it by using gentle, non-invasive pressure on
the areas of the head and body that are restricting natural bodily
rhythms.
Constriction can occur through the buildup of stress, bad
posture and physical injury, and may go undetected for years, manifesting only
as a feeling of being ‘not quite right‘. Once the healthy movement of CSF
is restored, the ability of the body to heal itself is greatly strengthened,
and many ongoing health problems are thought to resolve as a result.
Craniosacral therapy, however, is not without its critics who
suggest that although there is evidence of the presence of cerebrospinal
rhythms, the possibility of a practitioner detecting and using these is
limited. Further, there are no studies on craniosacral therapy that clearly
indicate its use for specific conditions. This is not an uncommon
criticism of complementary health practices, though, as the cost of setting up
and analyzing such trials are can be prohibitive, resulting in few reliable
studies.
Regardless of the criticism, craniosacral therapy has become
relatively popular in the past several decades due to its gentle and
non-invasive methods. It is carried out fully clothed and, as with other
forms of osteopathy and chiropractic treatment, with the patient lying on a
couch. During treatment, the therapist will use their hands to first
detect the cerebrospinal pulse, and then gently make adjustments that allow the
spinal tide to flow unobstructed. Many patients report feeling very
relaxed and light-headed throughout the session. The number of sessions
and frequency required will depend on the type and longevity of the
problem.
As the number of patients presenting with stress and
postural problems increases, the popularity of craniosacral therapy is also
expected to rise, especially given the limited resources of conventional
medicine to address these issues.
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