What is Craniosacral Therapy and How Can it Benefit You?
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands on, non-invasive technique used to release tension throughout the body. CST evaluates the craniosacral system that is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, sacrum, cerebrospinal fluid and their incorporated membranes. Soft touch of no more than 5 grams, or the weight of a nickel, is used to release restrictions within the craniosacral system and relieve the resulting tension that is placed on the central nervous system.
By alleviating stress placed on the nervous system, CST assists in the body’s innate healing qualities of the immune system, which allows CST to act, not only as acute care, but also as a preventative measure.
Reasons to Treat Your Infant
Natural Birth
During the natural birthing process the baby’s head is molded to fit through the mother’s pelvis. This process compresses the bones of the skull and causes them to overlap. This overlap should not persist past the first few weeks of life. If this does persist, it can lead to interference of cranial nerve function that can cause colic, breathing and swallowing difficulties, digestive or sensory-motor impairments, and more.
The baby can sometimes be injured during the birthing process. This can cause both physical and emotional trauma. Craniosacral can help address these injuries along with the effects of vacuum extraction, prolonged or fast labor, forceps and cesarean birth.
Cesarean Birth
Cesarean births are more traumatic to the baby than we may think. There is a very abrupt change in pressure within the mother’s abdomen that causes an abrupt pressure change within the baby’s head. This can disrupt the craniosacral rhythm and cause interference in cranial nerve function.
CST can also help boost the baby’s immune system by relieving stress on the nervous system and allowing her immune system to function properly. Since cesarean babies don’t travel through the mother’s birth canal, they don’t receive the beneficial bacteria that provides them with immunity to many common illnesses. Cesarean born babies tend to have increased rates of ear infections, respiratory distress, more abnormal neurological exams and lower APGAR scores.
Who Else Can Benefit?
Everybody can benefit from craniosacral therapy. CST helps to relieve the stresses of everyday life and release residual body memories of past emotional and physical traumas.
The skull, including facial bones, is made up of twenty two bones. Craniosacral therapy focuses on ten of those bones in the skull and three more in the pelvis when based on standard protocol. These are not the only areas that CST can be utilized but are the most influential to the central nervous system and its function.
The stresses and traumas of everyday life can lead to restrictions within the craniosacral system that may have alternate effects throughout the body depending on its nerve supply. CST can assess and treat these restrictions to relieve the effects of autism, ADD/ADHD, depression, Cerebral Palsy, headaches/migraines, anxiety and much more.
Here is a list of symptoms and conditions that Craniosacral Therapy can help:
- Fussy, hard to soothe babies
- Digestive or elimination difficulties
- Reflux
- Colic
- Spitting up
- Difficult Breastfeeding/Latching
- Babies who favor one side
- Babies who favor one position
- Teething
- Ear Infections
- Difficulty sleeping
- Difficult/fast/slow birth
- Cramping
- Back pain in pregnancy
- Headaches/Migraines
- Assess and treat birth trauma
- Relieve pelvic, vaginal or groin pain
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Developmental delays
- Mobility concerns
- Cerebral Palsy
- Neurological conditions
- ADD/ADHD
- Depression
Come see Dr. Karis or Dr. Cassi to see what CranioSacral Therapy can do for you and your family! Call now for an appointment 360-693-3030.