Craniosacral Therapy, What Is It?

CST or Craniosacral therapy works on the idea that with the application of light pressure on the craniosacral system, illness and afflictions can be reduced leading to health and wellbeing to people suffering from conditions affecting the spine, brain and other parts of the body.

The craniosacral system is comprised of the nerves, cerebrospinal fluid, cranial bones and membranes that surround the spinal cord and brain. CST is a holistic therapy that also strengthens the notion that the cranial bones can be moved and that this movement impacts the rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid in the craniosacral system.

This alternative medicine perspective is different from the more conventional notion that pervades academic circles stating that during adolescence the bones that form the cranium fuse and therefore are unable to move.

CST History

It was Dr. William Sutherland who first proposed the idea of Craniosacral therapy around the beginning of the 19th century. Sutherland taught a post-graduate course at the American School of Osteopathy regarding his discoveries. In the 1980’s, Dr. John Upledger updated Sutherland’s research via a number clinical trials and published CST reports while serving as a clinical researcher and professor of biomechanics at the University of Michigan.

There is currently major debate among licensed CST practitioners, patients, scientists, and doctors as to whether CST can treat certain illnesses and whether the basis of the treatment holds up to clinical investigation.

Advocates of CST believe that the therapy has numerous benefits. These include relief of conditions such as migraines, chronic neck pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, back pain TMJ or temporomandibular joint disorder, fibromyalgia, and ADD or attention deficit disorder.

Lots of patients suffering from these conditions believe that CST therapy helped relieved their symptoms related to these disorders and diseases, allowing them to live pain free and healthier lives.

Objectors argue that the tenets, beliefs, and facts of CST are themselves erroneous, either due to indeterminate research or because accepted beliefs and practices in the medical field have been ignored. The belief that the cranial bones cannot move unless significant pressure is applied is a major argument against CST. They believe that the pressure, publicly supported by CST supporters, which is applied by fingertips alone, can help alleviate ailments and pain, does not hold up to accepted clinical practices.

The NIH (National Institutes of Health) is currently performing clinical trials to ascertain whether craniosacral therapy can alleviate migraines, which are very hard to treat in several patients even with drugs. The research, thus far, indicated that CST does provide relief to patients.

Eastern Healing Solutions, LLC
10875 Grandview St #2200
Overland Park, KS 66210
(913) 549-4322
https://www.overlandparkacupuncturist.com