CranioSacral Therapy

CranioSacral therapy is  a light-touch  hands-on therapy  that addresses restrictions in the craniosacral  system – the membranes and fluid that protect the brain and spinal cord. This vital system extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum area. Since the craniosacral system directly impacts the central nervous system, it’s easy to see how an imbalance there could effect any part of the body.

By complimenting the bodies natural healing processes CranioSacral therapy is used as a preventative 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 ::  

• Headaches and migraines,
• Chronic neck and back pain,
• Chronic fatigue,
• Stress and tension related problems,
• Fibromyalgia and other connective disorders,
• Temporomandibular joint syndrome - TMJ,
• Post-surgical dysfunctions,
• Digestive disorders,
• And many other conditions.  

 

How Did CranioSacral Therapy Begin?

CranioSacral Therapy dates back to 1970 when osteopathic physician Dr John E. Upledger first witnessed the rhythmic movement of the craniosacral system during a spinal surgery. Yet none of his colleagues nor medical texts could explain the phenomenon. Two years later, Dr. Upledger attended a short course on cranial osteopathy developed by Dr. William Sutherland. The course focused on the bones of the skull and the fact – surprising at the time – that they weren’t fused as doctors had been taught in medical school. Instead, Sutherland’s material demonstrated that skull bones continue to move throughout a person’s life. Putting this new information together with the odd pulsing rhythm he’d observed years before, Dr Upledger theorized that a  hydraulic system  of sorts was functioning inside the craniosacral system.  He then set out to confirm his theories.  In 1975 he joined the Osteopathic College at  Michigan  State  University as a clinical researcher and  Professor  of  Biomechanics.  There he led a team of anatomists physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers to test and document the influence  of therapy on the craniosacral system.  For the first time they were able to explain the function of the craniosacral system, and demonstrate how  light-touch  therapy  could be used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal cord.In 1985, Dr. Upledger went on to establish The Upledger Institute to teach the public and healthcare practitioners about the benefits of CranioSacral Therapy.  To date the Upledger Institute has trained more than  50,000  healthcare practitioners world wide in the use of CranioSacral Therapy.

Interviews with Dr John E. Upledger ::

http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2003/10/1html
http://www.shareguide.com/Upledger.html
http://www.shareguide.com/Upledger.html
www.latitudes.org/articles/cranio_upledger_ld.html