Cranial Osteopathy (CO) is one of the many different techniques that a Manual Osteopath may use during a treatment session. Also known as Craniosacral Therapy or Cranial Therapy, CO uses light palpations of the cranium (bones that make up the skull and face), spine and sacrum (low back/pelvis area) to find and release restrictions along the Dural Tube.The Dural Tube is a tadpole-like structure that surrounds our brain and extends down along the spinal column to the sacrum. The Dural Tube is full of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF), which acts like a shock absorber by cushioning our brain and spinal cord. CSF also provides nourishment to the Central Nervous System and removes waste material. Restrictions in the Dural Tube can negatively affect the performance of CSF and the organs and the muscles that the restricted group of nerves innervate. Your Manual Osteopath will gently palpate different areas of the body, such as the head and sacrum, to feel for the ease of motion and rhythm of the CSF to help them find restrictions. Some of the palpations are so light that you might not even feel them.
Wondering where these restrictions come from?
Everyday your body endures different stresses and strains that it must compensate for – whether it be surgery, the birth process, injuries, poor posture, stress, etc. Unfortunately, these compensations can cause the tissues of the body to become distorted. These distortions can then cause tension to form around the CSF and the Dural Tube, creating restrictions and inhibiting the performance of the central nervous system and potentially every other system it interacts with. By releasing the restrictions in the CSF and Dural Tube, the body’s ability to self-correct is enhanced. This is why CO is able to help alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions, from jaw pain and headaches to chronic pain and sports injuries to digestive issues and anxiety. CO is also very relaxing and is often used at the beginning and end of a treatment to help calm the body and bring it to a state of ease.
So don’t worry if you fall asleep during a treatment – that is normal and it means you are totally relaxed!
If you have any questions about CO or Osteopathy in general, please do not hesitate and contact our clinic. You are also welcome to book a 15 minutes FREE consultation with me (click here).
NOTE: Osteopathy appointments can be submitted by our clinic only to Green Shield Canada. Patients with Extended Health Benefits from other insurance company are required to pay for treatment in full and submitted their claims afterwards.
