SPINE
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) was pioneered by John Upledger in the 1970's as a form of alternative therapy that is primarily based on regulating the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid. The term craniosacral is based on the cranium and sacrum which are the bones at the top and bottom of the spine. The cerebral spinal fluid travels throughout the brain and spinal cord in a rhythmic wave type movement at a rate of 10 to 14 cycles per minute.
CST is used for multiple health problems from fibromyalgia, headaches, whiplash, head or spine trauma and many more. The clinician lightly places his/her hands on the patient in specific areas with the intent of releasing the areas of restriction. There is a 10-step protocol that is followed and takes approximately 1 hour for a full treatment. The setting should be quiet, dimmed lights, warm room temperature, and best to do on an air mattress. This maximizes comfort for both the therapist and patient with various hand placements and patient feeling like he/she is floating.
The gentle "wave-like" motion should be present in each location, if not the area is restricted or blocked. The therapist will proceed with treatment by guiding the body to restore its natural movement. Similar to a river, if the flow is blocked, debris and toxins build up causing decreased homeostasis. The intention of the clinician is to provide an environment for the body to heal naturally for optimal health. Typical responses after treatment are patient feeling very relaxed, tired, light headed, emotional, and refreshed.
Sounds too good to be true????? There is significant amount of controversy against the theory that "cranial bones move”. Some refer to CST as quackery due to the cranial bones fusing by the end of adolescence. Stating it’s false that the craniosacral rhythm can be palpated by a therapist. Yet the craniosacral therapists dispute this.
So.....the debate can be decided by the results the treatment yields. Most times the patient has already tried a multitude of treatments to find relief with no success. Could the success of CST theory be just a positive outcome due to therapist intention to help and patient desperation to heal???? Maybe there is some realism to the theory.
