How Craniosacral Therapy Can Help with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can be a debilitating condition that affects every aspect of life. Traditional treatments often involve medications, physical therapy, or even surgery. However, many people are turning to alternative therapies to find relief. One such therapy is Craniosacral Therapy (CST), a gentle, hands-on approach that can provide significant benefits for those suffering from chronic pain.

What is Craniosacral Therapy?

Craniosacral Therapy is a non-invasive technique developed by Dr. John Upledger in the 1970s. It focuses on the craniosacral system, which includes the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. By using light touch, practitioners aim to release tension in the fascia, the connective tissue that encases the entire body.

How Does CST Work?

During a CST session, the therapist uses gentle pressure, no more than the weight of a nickel, to assess and release restrictions in the craniosacral system. This process helps to improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which can enhance the body’s natural healing processes. The therapy is performed with the client fully clothed, often in a quiet, relaxing environment.

Benefits of CST for Chronic Pain

1. Pain Reduction: CST has. By alleviating tension in the fascia, CST can help decrease the overall pain experienced by the patient.

2. Improved Functionality: Chronic pain often limits mobility and functionality. CST can help improve these aspects by addressing the underlying tension and restrictions in the body. This can lead to better movement and a higher quality of life.

3. Emotional Relief: Chronic pain is not just a physical issue; it often comes with emotional stress and anxiety. CST can help release emotional tension stored in the body, providing a holistic approach to pain management.

4. Enhanced Well-being: Regular CST sessions can promote a sense of well-being and relaxation. This can be particularly beneficial for those who experience chronic pain, as it helps to break the cycle of pain and stress.

What to Expect During a CST Session

A typical CST session lasts about an hour. The therapist will begin by discussing your health history and any specific concerns you have. You will then lie down fully clothed on a massage table. The therapist will use gentle touch to assess and release tension in your craniosacral system. Many people find the experience deeply relaxing and may even fall asleep during the session.

Is CST Right for You?

CST is generally considered safe for most people. However, it is essential to consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment, especially if you have conditions like blood clots, recent head trauma, or other serious health issues.

Craniosacral Therapy offers a promising alternative for those seeking relief from chronic pain. Its gentle, holistic approach can help reduce pain, improve functionality, and enhance overall well-being. If you are struggling with chronic pain, CST might be worth exploring as part of your pain management plan.

Understanding Emotional Trauma and the Healing Touch of Craniosacral Therapy

Emotional trauma can be a debilitating experience, affecting one’s sense of security and well-being. It is often the result of overwhelming stress that shatters one’s sense of safety, leading to feelings of helplessness and vulnerability. Trauma can stem from one-time events like accidents or violence, or from ongoing stress such as domestic abuse or childhood neglect. The impact of trauma can be profound, leaving individuals struggling with distressing emotions, memories, and anxiety that persist over time.

For those new to the concept of healing from emotional trauma, Craniosacral Therapy (CST) offers a gentle and non-invasive approach. CST is a hands-on therapy that involves light touches on the skull, face, spine, and pelvis to release tension and improve the functioning of the central nervous system. It is based on the understanding that the body is interconnected; thus, relieving tension in one area can positively affect the entire system.

CST is particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with the physical manifestations of emotional trauma, which can include headaches, neck pain, and sleep disturbances. By promoting relaxation and helping to rebalance the nervous system, CST can aid in alleviating these symptoms. It’s a therapy that encourages the body’s natural healing processes, fostering self-regulation, self-correction, and self-healing.

For someone considering CST for the first time, it’s important to know that sessions typically involve lying fully clothed on a treatment table while the therapist applies a light touch. The environment is designed to be calming, often with soft music and dim lighting, to facilitate relaxation. The therapy is tailored to the individual’s needs, and the number of sessions required can vary depending on the severity and nature of the trauma.

While CST can be a powerful tool for healing, it’s essential to remember that it should be part of a comprehensive treatment plan. It is not a standalone cure but rather a complementary therapy that can support other forms of treatment such as psychotherapy or medication. As with any therapeutic approach, it’s crucial to consult with a healthcare provider to determine if CST is appropriate for your specific situation.

Emotional trauma can have a lasting impact on one’s life, but therapies like CST offer hope for recovery. By gently working with the body’s own healing capabilities, CST can help individuals find relief from the lingering effects of trauma. If you’re new to CST, consider reaching out, using the link below, to explore how this therapy can be integrated into your journey toward healing and well-being.

What is CranioSacral Therapy

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is becoming a popular method to treat chronic and short-term pain in the body. Whether you are experiencing emotional trauma or physical pain, CST can help you achieve the results you want in a way that traditional medicine can’t do alone.  

Defined as a gentle, non-invasive massage technique that relieves pain and pressure, CST helps your body work from the inside out to self-correct what is causing you pain.

Using their hands, CranioSacral Therapists gently look for disturbances in the cranial sacral rhythm to pinpoint restrictions in the body. Once they identify the areas facing tension, they can come up with a plan to heal them.  

People go through CST for many reasons including the following:

·      “I’m experiencing pains in my body.”

·      “I get migraines a few times per month.”

·      “I recently went through a traumatic event and am not sure how to cope.”

If you agreed with any of the statements above, CST might be right for you, and you’re not alone. Patients from all age groups try CST every year to reduce pain or tension, whether they are a newborn or an adult aged 65+.

We know there is a lot of information about CST online, which can be confusing, so we are here to break it down for you.

History of CranioSacral Therapy

Osteopath William Sutherland developed the cranial osteopathy field in the 1930s. He noticed that when there were restrictions in the head or bones, there could be effects throughout the whole body. He went on to study at The American School of Osteopathy in the 1940s to broaden his research.

Dr. John E. Upledger took Sutherland’s discoveries further to see how they could help people. Upledger conducted a series of scientific studies between 1975 and 1983 at Michigan State University, where the well-known osteopathic physician worked as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. As he studied the cranial osteopathy field and saw what it could do, he founded CranioSacral Therapy as we know it today.

Upledger took what Sutherland had discovered about cranial osteopathy’s connection to the body and dived into the mechanics, identifying this part of the body as the “craniosacral system.” He then focused on developing training for osteopaths, medical doctors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and more to help their clients and patients.

With Upledger’s training, we now know more about how the body works to heal itself than ever before.

Benefits of Treatment

When you’re going through a CST session, the therapist’s goal is to release compression and restrictions in your body so it can work the right way. These restrictions are notably found in the craniosacral system, which consists of membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that protect the brain and spinal cord. These restrictions can inhibit the central nervous system, causing you pain or tension. However, when these restrictions are released, the central nervous system functions properly.

CST encourages the body to heal naturally and is therefore used as a preventative health measure for people facing pain or dysfunction. It eases tension in the body including nerve restrictions. Once the restrictions are released, the body is able to heal itself.

CST is found to treat a variety of health problems including but not limited to:

·      Back and neck pain

·      Migraines

·      Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

·      Chronic fatigue

·      Stress and anxiety

·      Concussions

·      Muscle and joint pain

·      Fibromyalgia

·      Spinal cord injuries

With CST’s approach to freeing the central nervous system to perform its best, it naturally eliminates pain and stress, strengthens your resistance to disease, and enhances your health and overall wellbeing.

What a Typical Session Involves

A typical session will begin with a discussion of your health concerns with your therapist. Once a brief health history is established, you will talk about your goals with the session. Your therapist will check in to make sure you are comfortable at all times. You will be fully clothed throughout the session and may go from a chair to a massage table depending on the scope of work involved.

A session may last anywhere from thirty minutes to one and a half hours depending on your needs. To make sure the session is successful, be open with your therapist about your concerns and goals. Try to relax so your therapist can listen to your body more closely and really focus to make you feel better. During the session, the therapist will gently touch parts of your body that need attention, listening to bodily rhythms to decide on which parts need attention first.

After the session, your therapist will check in with you to see how you feel. Together you will decide how many more sessions are needed to help you achieve your desired results.

CST is designed to not only target key parts of the body experiencing pain but to encourage your body to self-correct for long-term results. No matter what your goals are, CranioSacral Therapy can help.

Have you tried CranioSacral Therapy before? Please share your experience in the comments below.

If you’re experiencing pains in your body, come visit the ONLY certified CranioSacral clinician in the Walla Walla. Book an appointment with Kristi Schreiner-Huffey, CST, LMP, MSW. You won’t regret it!