Q: Who could benefit from my treatments?
A: Those who:
· Are fine tuning their bodies for optimal
health and performance.
· Are experiencing chronic pain from
trauma (ie. birth trauma, accident, emotional
trauma, surgery, etc.) or unknown cause.
· cannot seem to get off of the injured
list (i.e. one injury leads to another which
leads to another or cannot recover from an injury/accident).
All newborns/babies for a ‘tune-up’/
preventative care or to address various symptoms/trauma.
Q: Is there any condition for which
CST shouldn't be used?
A: There are certain situations where application
of CST would not be recommended. These include
conditions where a variation and/or slight increase
in intracranial pressure would cause instability.
Acute aneurysm, cerebral hemorrhage or other
preexisting severe bleeding disorders are examples
of conditions that could be affected by small
intracranial pressure changes.
Q: How many sessions will I need?
A: Response to CST varies from individual to
individual and condition to condition. Your
response is uniquely your own and can't be compared
to anyone else's — even those cases that
may appear to be similar to your own. The number
of sessions needed varies widely — from
just a few sessions to weekly sessions over
the course of several months.
Q: When was CranioSacral Therapy developed?
A: It was in 1970, during a neck surgery in
which he was assisting, that osteopathic physician
John E. Upledger first observed the rhythmic
movement of what would soon be identified as
the craniosacral system. However, none of his
colleagues nor any of the medical texts at the
time could explain this discovery.
His curiosity piqued, Dr. Upledger began searching
for the answer. He started with the research
of Dr. William Sutherland, the father of cranial
osteopathy. For some 20 years beginning in the
early 1900s, Sutherland had explored the concept
that the bones of the skull were structured
to allow for movement. For decades after, this
theory remained at odds with the beliefs of
the scientific and medical communities. Dr.
Upledger believed, however, that if Sutherland’s
theory of cranial movement was in fact true,
this would help explain, and make feasible,
the existence of the rhythm he had encountered
in surgery.
It was at this point that Dr. Upledger set out
to scientifically confirm the existence of cranial
bone motion. From 1975 to 1983 he served as
clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics
at Michigan State University, where he supervised
a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists
and bioengineers in research and testing. The
results not only confirmed Sutherland’s
theory, but led to clarification of the mechanisms
behind this motion — the craniosacral
system. Dr. Upledger’s continued work
in the field ultimately resulted in his development
of CranioSacral Therapy and The Upledger Institute.
Q: How is CST & VM different from
other techniques?
A: Manual therapies (ie. Physiotherapy, massage
therapy, chiropractic, rolfing, etc) typically
focus on muscles/tendons, myofascial tissue
(connective tissue within the muscle), and joints/ligaments
whereas CST & VM address the connective
tissue restrictions around organs, spinal cord,
nerves and blood vessels. As these tissues are
more delicate and reactive than that of the
musculoskeletal system, very light, but specific
pressure is most effective.
Q: What is a session like?
A: In CranioSacral Therapy and Visceral Manipulation,
the practitioner acts primarily as a facilitator,
tuning in to subtle patterns of tension within
the client's body and guiding the body towards
release. Very light pressure is used, typically
of the order of 5 grams or the equivalent weight
of a nickel. A universal response of any living
organism to pressure is to tense up and guard,
especially with such delicate tissues. By working
very lightly and being very patient, I am able
to stay below the threshold at which this guarding
response occurs and facilitate permanent change.
I will probably spend several minutes palpating
and assessing the tension patterns in your body,
often starting at the feet and working up to
the head. Once I’ve located the primary
areas of restriction, I will begin to work on
gently releasing the tissue. Often the principal
area of restriction may not be the area in which
the client feels the pain or dysfunction, and
people are often surprised when, for example,
their headache or neck pain eases as the therapist
works on their tailbone, or even on their ankle.
CST & VM are very relaxing and people sometimes
even fall asleep on the table. Part of the therapeutic
process seems to be getting the conscious mind
out of the way so the body can release its tension.
I always tell m;y clients that cranial work
is never done when the session is over and to
expect that the body will continue to release
over the next few days.
Q: How should I prepare for a session?
A: As a client, you should wear loose comfortable
clothing. Ensure that you are reasonably well
rested. Plan to have a light day after your
session: some people feel energized and others
require rest/sleep following treatments.
Q: How should I take care of myself
after a session?
A: Drink ample fluids. Light exercise is important
for circulation and for the central nervous
system to reset itself. Please limit the intensity
and duration of exercise to approximately 60%
of your normal abilities as any stress that
exceeds the ability of your muscles will enter
the newly released fascia and create a reaction
that usually involves a lot of body soreness.
Also, be present in your body!!! These subtle
adjustments to your insides create changes in
all parts of your body and sometimes balance
and coordination can be temporarily affected.
It is important that you remain aware of your
body as you walk up/down stairs, navigate curbs,
and climb onto chairs/ladders.
