Craniosacral Therapy… What is it?

What is it and how does it work?

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is also commonly called sacro-occipital technique or cranial work. They are all, at the core, the same thing. 

CST is a very gentle form of treatment aimed at decreasing tension in the meninges. The meninges are thin membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord and attach into the inside of the skull, the first vertebrae in the neck, and the sacrum. Our meninges serve to protect but also hold in our cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid is extremely important as it is responsible for providing nutrients and cushioning to our brain and spinal cord. When we have tension in the meninges it can negatively impact the flow of cerebrospinal fluid causing the nervous system to respond. 

When the nervous system responds it can cause symptoms like…

Adults:

Headaches/migraines

Vertigo

Stress/anxiety

Chronic pain conditions (ex fibromyalgia)

Epilepsy

Children/infants:

Colic

Breastfeeding difficulties

Arching of the back

Muscle tension

Torticollis

Reflux

Sleep disturbances

*These are just a few examples of the symptoms cranial work can help with.

What causes the tension? How is it relieved?

This tension in the meninges typically arises due to altered motion of the bones the meninges attach to. Remember this includes the skull, the first vertebra in the neck, and the sacrum. With craniosacral therapy we can restore motion to the bones by applying gentle pressure in the direction the bone needs help moving in. Once motion is restored, the pulling (tension) on the meninges is released allowing the cerebrospinal fluid to flow naturally and the nervous system to calm down.  Symptom relief usually takes a few treatments because it takes time for our nervous system to integrate the changes as the new normal state.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out!