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CranioSacral
Therapy (CST) is a light-touch manual approach that enhances the body's
natural healing capabilities. For nearly 30 years it has shown to be
effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and
loss of function. CST is useful as both a primary treatment method
combined with other traditional or complementary techniques. Because
of its gentle nature and positive effects on so many body functions,
CranioSacral Therapy is practice by a variety of healthcare
professionals, from physicians to massage therapists.
CST is useful for treatment of:
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue
- TMJ Syndrome
- Motor-Coordination Impairments
- Autism
- Neck and Back Pain
- Central Nervous System Disorders
- Colic
- Scoliosis
- Learning Disabilities
- Brain and Spinal Cord injuries
- Emotional Difficulties
- Stress-related Problems
- Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Post-Surgical Dysfunction
A typical CranioSacral therapy session
A
typical CST session lasts from 45 minutes to an hour,
and takes place in a quiet, private setting. As a client you remain
fully clothed as you recline on a massage or treatment table. The
practitioner will stand or sit positioned at various points of your
head, torso or feet. At times your practitioner may also support your
limbs and spine while helping your body release accumulated tension.
How CST Works
The
CranioSacral Therapy practitioner works with the patient to assist the
body's self-correcting mechanisms. Generally using about five grams of
pressure, or about the weight of a nickel, the practitioner evaluates
the body's craniosacral system. This system plays a vital role of
maintaining the environment in which the central nervous system
functions. It consists of the membranes and fluid that surround and
protect the brain and spinal cord as well as the attached bones -
including the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, and the
tailbone area, or sacrum.
The Therapist essentially helps the
body release restrictions which it has been unable to overcome on its
own. Rather than deciding how these changes should be made, the
therapist follows cues from the body on how to proceed. When the
therapist follows this gentle approach, the method is extremely safe and
effective. The few contraindications to CST are aneurysm, intracranial
hemorrhage, and other conditions where altering intracranial fluid is
not recommended.
What
you experience during a CST session is highly individual. Some people
say they feel deeply relaxed, while others describe feeling unwinding
sensations as the body releases tension. You may even recall
circumstances surrounding a post trauma or injury that caused you body
stress.
After A Session
Just
as each individual experiences CST sessions differently, the results can
be diverse as well. You may leave in such a relaxed state that you feel
like sleeping for hours. Or you may leave full of boundless energy. You
may feel a decrease in pain or an increase in function immediately
after the session, or the effects may develop gradually over the next
few days.
Since CST helps the body resume its natural healing
processes, it's common for your improvements to continue weeks after the
session. You may also experience a reorganization phase as your body
releases previously held patterns and adapts to a new state of wellness.
While
the focus of CST is to uncover the source of the problem, symptom
relief also is achieved. The length of time and number of sessions
needed is extremely variable and depends, among other factors, on the
complex layers of injury and trauma that may mask the original cause of
the problem as well as the body's defense mechanisms. Due to its
gentleness and effectiveness, many people include CST as a component in
their personal wellness programs. They report having more energy,
sleeping better and being sick less often.
For more information about CranioSacral therapy, visit www.upledger.com
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