CranioSacral Therapy

CranioSacral therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance.

CranioSacral therapy evaluates and enhances the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system – comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Therapists use a soft touch, generally no greater than the weight of a nickel, to release restrictions in the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system. CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and it’s effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.

CST may be a helpful treatment for patients who have:

• Brain and spinal cord injuries
• Central nervous system disorders
• Chronic fatigue
• Chronic neck and back pain
• Concussion and traumatic brain injury
• Fibromyalgia
• Infant and childhood disorders
• Migraines and headaches
• Motor-coordination impairments
• Orthopedic conditions
• Scoliosis
• Stress and tension-related disorders
• TMJ disorders

Every day your body compensates for the stresses and strains it endures. These changes often cause body tissues to tighten and distort the craniosacral system. These distortions can cause tension to form around the brain and spinal cord resulting in restrictions, which can create a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and potentially every other system it interacts with.

With a light touch, the therapist uses his or her hands to evaluate the craniosacral system by gently feeling various locations of the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in any tissues influencing the craniosacral system.