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Celebrate the Healing Power of a Gentle Touch: Discover CranioSacral Therapy
By: The Upledger Institute
We used to believe that all healthy foods taste bad and that to make
“gain” you need to have “pain.” Those beliefs are now
being challenged by delicious spa cuisine and less stressful methods of
restoring wellness.
A standout among the popular methods that work with the body, instead of
forcefully imposing changes upon it, is CranioSacral Therapy. A
light-touch manual therapy, CranioSacral Therapy (CST) enhances the
body’s natural healing processes. For nearly 30 years, it has
been 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 or combined with other traditional or
complementary techniques.
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 the
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. Since the brain and
spinal cord are contained with the central nervous system, it is easy to
see that the craniosacral system has powerful influence over a wide
variety of bodily functions.
The CranioSacral Therapy practitioner essentially helps the body release
restrictions — which it has been unable to overcome on its own —
that inhibit the body’s normal, self-correcting tendencies.
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 CranioSacral Therapy are
aneurysm, intracranial hemorrhage, and other conditions where altering
intracranial fluid pressure is not recommended.
Benefits of CranioSacral Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy has been shown to alleviate a range of conditions,
including infantile disorders, colic, traumatic brain and spinal cord
injuries, migraine headaches, chronic fatigue, motor-coordination
impairments, chronic neck and back pain, scoliosis, central nervous
system disorders, emotional difficulties, temporomandibular joint
dysfunction (TMJ), learning disabilities, stress and tension-related
problems, post-traumatic stress disorder and orthopedic problems.
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 program. They report having
more energy, sleeping better and being sick less often.
The Foundations of CranioSacral Therapy
The original concepts for what is now known as the craniosacral system
were put forth by osteopathic physician William Sutherland in the early
part of this century. Dr. Sutherland’s studies culminated into a
system of treatment known as Cranial Osteopathy.
Another osteopath, John E. Upledger, is credited with developing
CranioSacral Therapy. While assisting during a surgery in 1970,
Dr. Upledger observed a rhythmic movement of the dura mater, the
membrane that encompasses the brain and spinal cord. Neither his
colleagues nor medical texts could explain his observation. Dr.
Upledger’s curiosity led him to the work of Dr. Sutherland, and later
to develop his own scientific studies to confirm the existence of the
craniosacral system. This work went on from 1975 to 1983, while he
served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics at
Michigan State University. The findings of the research team he
supervised first established the scientific basis for the craniosacral
system.
Dr. Upledger’s continued work resulted in the development of
CranioSacral Therapy, and he is known today as an authority in this
field. He formed The Upledger Institute in 1985 to educate the
public and healthcare practitioners about the benefits of CranioSacral
Therapy. To date, The Institute has trained more than 50,000
healthcare practitioners worldwide in the use of CranioSacral Therapy.
Practitioners include osteopaths, medical doctors, doctors of
chiropractic, doctors of Oriental medicine, naturopathic physicians,
psychiatric specialists, psychologists, dentists, physical therapists,
speech therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, acupuncturists,
massage therapists and other professional bodyworkers.
With a growing body of practitioners, CranioSacral Therapy provides a
new healthcare option – one that uses a gentle approach working with
the body. By following the body’s lead, the CST practitioner
often can uncover the source of pain or dysfunction that can open the
path to wellness.
Further Information
Visit us at www.upledger.com or
call us at 1-800-233-5880.
Bio:
www.upledger.com
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