Craniosacral Therapy - Gentle, safe, and often effective
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle hands-on body therapy. It involves palpating and manipulating soft tissue and bony structures to relieve connective tissue (fascial) restrictions. Treatments are generally performed fully clothed and involve gentle holding and tractioning.
CST is derived from osteopathic manipulation, which has its origins in the bonesetting practices of indigenous peoples here in North America, including the Cherokee, and shares similarities with other bonesetting and bone-holding practices such as Yin Tui Na in East Asian Medicine.
How does CST it work?
CST treatments involve gentle and directional pressure at various head, spine, and lower back points. The intention of this light pressure is the correction of subtle displacements in the spinal and cranial bones. This releases holding patterns in the connective tissues and muscular holding patterns in the joints.
CST theory holds that soft tissue restrictions in the craniosacral system can lead to dysfunctional and restricted movement of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF bathes the spinal cord and brain and provides both a cushion for these delicate structures as well as a nutritive bath that carries important immune cells and signaling molecules. In CST treatment, gentle tractioning of the cranial bones and spines helps to improve and restore the smooth flow of the CSF.
While these purported mechanisms of CST treatment have been criticized as being speculative and unproven, the recent ‘discovery’ of the brain lymphatic system lends support to the theory. The lymphatic system is responsible for circulating the cells and signaling molecules of the immune system throughout our body. Until recently, it was unclear how or if the brain connected with the lymphatic system in the rest of our body.
Functional MRI imaging revealed lymphatic vessels embedded in the connective tissue membranes of the brain that circulate both the CSF and many immune system cells and messengers. Brain lymphatic vessels serve an important clearing function, removing metabolic waste from the brain, especially at night when we sleep. Disruptions in this ‘brain cleaning’ function due to chronic sleep disruptions and head trauma have been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive impairment.
Releasing restrictions in these fascial tissue membranes in the brain is a key focus of CST treatment protocols.
What is the evidence for craniosacral therapy's effectiveness?
For years, many individuals and organizations have sought out craniosacral therapy for its anecdotal benefits as supportive therapy in a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain, adjunctive cancer therapy, nervous system disorders, and developmental concerns. In recent years, a growing body of research supports the potential benefits of craniosacral therapy to provide effective, safe, and often enduring benefits for a diverse range of conditions in adults and children.
A study of CST for chronic neck pain compared CST to a sham control, designed to mimic a hands-on treatment's attention and generalized effect but without the specific therapeutic benefit. Craniosacral therapy was found to provide significant and enduring improvements in chronic neck pain up to 3 months following an 8-week course of treatment.
In another study, 220 consecutive patients (adults, children, and infants) who either self-referred or were referred from their primary clinic for CST were followed and evaluated before and after completing a course of treatment with CST. The reasons for referral were diverse, with over 100 different diagnoses. The diagnoses included arthritis, fatigue, fibromyalgia, TMJ, insomnia, headaches, developmental concerns, and digestive complaints. In general, CST was found to result in significant decreases in symptom intensity and disability ratings in both adults and children and improvements in quality of life. No serious adverse events were reported.
Finally, a meta-analysis of CST for chronic pain involving more than 680 patients found the effects of CST on chronic pain were both “significant and robust” and were measurable up to 6 months post-treatment. A meta-analysis is a study that pools together several smaller studies in a systematic way to make a more powerful determination of the potential benefits of a particular therapy. This meta-analysis pooled the results of 10 different studies.
So, as we have reviewed, a growing body of evidence supports both the mechanism and effectiveness of craniosacral therapy in a wide range of clinical conditions.
What is it like to receive a craniosacral therapy treatment?
Craniosacral therapy treatment sessions are usually scheduled for 45-60 minutes. Treatments are performed fully clothed. While the experience of receiving CST varies - many people experience a profound sense of relaxation, accompanied by a sense of physical tension or emotional release. During the course of treatment, their may be signs that often accompany the nervous system moving into a more relaxed (parasympathetic) state such as digestive sounds, brief jerking movements or falling asleep.
In my clinical experience, CST is a useful approach to support nervous system regulation. Helping to settle and calm the nervous system response can be beneficial in almost all health concerns. People who are experiencing chronic digestive concerns such as IBS and SIBO, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and mood disorders may experience particular benefits from CST as supportive therapy in the context of a functional medicine treatment plan or in combination with acupuncture.
If you are in the Durham, NC, area and would like to schedule a craniosacral therapy appointment, you can schedule a visit here.
To Your Health,
Dr. Nicole🌿
