Cranial Osteopathy

What is Cranial Osteopathy?

Cranial Osteopathy is a refined and subtle type of osteopathic treatment, that uses very gentle manipulative pressure to encourage the release of stresses throughout the body. Cranial osteopaths are trained to feel a very subtle, rhythmical shape change that is present in all the body tissues. This is called involuntary motion.

The skull is made up of 26 bones, which are intricately joined, in such a way that during the rhythmical cycle of involuntary motion, the skull can actually change shape very slightly to accommodate the normal involuntary motion of the brain. Impacts to the head can block or disrupt this movement. Which in turn can cause a very wide variety of problems both in the head and elsewhere in the body.

Using involuntary motion in the tissues, osteopaths can feel whether a person is working in the best way and if they are in an optimum state of health, or whether there is something preventing healthy movement of the tissue from occurring.

‘Visceral’ techniques are used in the management of conditions affecting internal organs. These involve gentle and rhythmical stretching of the visceral areas.

A cranial osteopath will vary their treatment methods depending on their patients individual problem. This technique is well suited to everybody, especially  young children and the physically frail.

Osteopathic treatment is aimed not only at the relief of symptoms, but towards helping the body function better in all respects. Patients often report an improvement in general well being, energy levels, sleep patterns and also in areas of symptoms other than those that bought them to the Osteopath in the first place.

What will happen during a ‘Cranial’ treatment?

The Osteopath will cradle your head or neck, sometimes your lower spine – in their hands. Patients may feel sensations of pressure or warmth, either under the Osteopaths hands or elsewhere. Most patients feel that gradually the tension is being drawn out of the body and they become deeply relaxed.

What conditions can it help?

• Back & neck pain
• Joint pain
• Headaches & migraine
• Digestive disorders
• Period pain & irregularity
• Recurrent infections
• Sinusitis
• Asthma & chest complaints (the mechanics of)
• Stress
• Depression & fatigue
• General ill health
• Children – Many different childhood problems
  (See also osteopathy for children).