Craniosacral therapy is an alternative method of treatment for a number of conditions such as headaches; back, neck and tooth pain; nervousness and hyperactivity. It is generally practiced by massage therapists, chiropractors, practitioners of physical therapy and even some dentists. Advocates of craniosacral therapy believe that the benefits of the treatment can have an effect on many other areas of a patient's life, including learning disorders.
What It Is
The techniques used in craniosacral therapy were developed in 1930 by William Sutherland. He believed that our brains produce a pulse that generates a cranial flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Our bodies depend on this flow to maintain equilibrium, especially in the muscles and nerves around the head, neck and back. A disturbed or unbalanced flow can be to blame for problems in these areas and with overall health.
Specialists in craniosacral therapy are able to sense the pulses and then fix them. Rebalancing cranial flow relieves tension, pain and nervous conditions which can lead to hyperactivity and/or learning disorders such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.) Relieving the anxious symptoms of these disorders helps students focus and learn more efficiently.
How it Works
During a craniosacral therapy session, the practitioner places her fingertips along the patients forehead along the frontal bones above the orbits of the eyes. She is then able to sense the rhythm of the pulse inside the cranium. Using only a slight amount of pressure, she presses on the bones using her own rhythm. Craniosacral promoters believe that her movements are able to manipulate the bones of the skull. Immediately following this short, noninvasive procedure, the patient should be pain free and in a relaxed state. Students suffering from learning disorders should be able to concentrate on a lesson without interruption from their anxiety or hyperactivity.
Medical Validity
There have been no accredited scientific studies that have proven the claims made by practitioners of craniosacral therapy. One study, conducted by Rogers, Witt, et al., at the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Physical Therapy Clinic, was published by the Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association in November 1998. The researchers attempted to measure the pulses in the brain and feet and note if the rate of these pulses changed during the course of the therapy. The results found no relation in the pulsations and did not prove the claims made by craniosacral therapy proponents.
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