Cranio-Sacral Therapy is a form of touch therapy that uses very light pressure to affect change on the many layers of fascia beneath the skin.  Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds, connects and separates all of the structures of the body.  Fascia is similar to our body’s hydraulic system that allows all of these structures including muscles, organs and vessels to move smoothly against each other in their daily functioning.  Commonly, trauma, inflammation or chronic tension can lead to restrictions in the fascia, causing reduced mobility of the tissues and dysfunction or pain.  Cranio-Sacral Therapy gently allows the body to release these restrictions and restore optimal functioning.

Because fascia wraps around all the structures in your body, it is often difficult to make lasting structural changes, such as boney manipulations, without also addressing the fascia that is holding everything in place.  As a result, Cranio-Sacral therapy can be a great addition to chiropractic care by creating space for your bones to stay where they are moved to and extending the duration of your adjustments.    

The name, Cranio-Sacral, relates to its utilization of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), whose nerve roots lie in the cranial and sacral regions of the vertebral column.  The parasympathetic nervous system induces a whole body state of relaxation, which is an added benefit of this kind of therapy.

A Cranio-Sacral therapist can feel the rhythmic movement of cerebrospinal fluid through the tissues and uses it to guide the adjustments and releases.  In this way, Cranio-Sacral therapy gives your body exactly what it asks for.

For a more in depth visual experience of fascia, checkout clips of Dr. Jean-Claude Guimberteau, MD’s video “Strolling Under the Skin,” available in clips on you tube. 

Who Can Benefit from Cranio-Sacral Therapy? Anyone would appreciate the effects of a Cranio-sacral treatment.  Some conditions that respond particularly well include:

•     Nervous system disorders
•          Headaches and Migraines
•          ADD/ADHD
•          Autism spectrum disorders
•          Depression and Anxiety
•          Motor-Coordination Problems
•          TMJ syndrome
•          Scoliosis
•          Fibromyalgia
•          Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
•          Chronic Fatigue
•          Orthopedic Problems
•          Chronic & Traumatic Pain
•          Stress and Tension-related disorders
•      Pediatric conditions such as: birth trauma injuries, cranial malformations, difficulty breastfeeding, torticollis and learning disabilities.