Do you suffer from chronic headaches and/or migraines?? Read on!
Q: What are some of the causes of headaches and migraines?
A: Tension, stress, environmental, blow to the head, concussion, whiplash
Q: What are some of the natural responses?
A: Light sensitivity, pressure, sound sensitivity, dizziness, nausea
The benefits of craniosacral therapy are profound, while the treatment itself is very subtle.
Starting off with a deep dive into the cause helps identify the best course of treatment. Knowing the “What” can help get to the bottom of the “Why” and the “How” can help you get to the “Ahh…much better!”
Sometimes you don’t know the cause, sometimes it’s a gradual progression in increased symptoms. All of the causes of headaches and migraines will develop an increase in pressure, and make the cranial bones jam up, instead of articulate (your cranial bones are not fused!) due to the increase in pressure and tension in the muscles. Being in a calming, soothing, dark environment (sound-proofing is a great bonus!) will help put you at ease and allow you to fully relax, clear your mind and allow your therapist to feel the cranial rhythm to start to alleviate the pressures and unravel the tension built up. While you are relaxing on the table, you may notice a very light pressure. This is completely normal and correct! The pressure therapists use to feel the cranial rhythm is the weight of a dime, but don’t worry, this won’t be a waste of your time. If you’re calm enough, and in-tune with your treatment, you can actually feel the shift. It is definitely a unique experience. Each session should result in less frequent or significantly diminished headaches and migraines. Just like any other form of treatment, this is not a “one and done” fix all. However, you should see drastic results as long as you’re seeking treatment regularly and being proactive in your own progress. After treatment, you should feel lighter, clearer (less of a foggy head), and rejuvenated.
But what about the “sacral” portion of the “craniosacral” therapy?
Well, that treats a wide variety of ailments also! One of my more uncommon uses for craniosacral therapy was probably one of my biggest success stories. There was a client who had come in with Tarlov Cysts. What are they? In short, they are fluid-filled nerve root cysts found most commonly at the sacral level of the spine. So, after researching the cause of them, and treatment options, I decided to take on this client. It was a challenge I was willing to accept to help someone in need who was not able to find relief anywhere else. In fact, a spine specialist had referred this patient based on the benefits of craniosacral therapy – and I’m glad they did, because after a few months of regular treatment, this client had gone back for more scans and the Tarlov Cysts had completely disappeared! Looking at the other reasons to use craniosacral therapy, it can help with those suffering from birth trauma, trauma to the sacrum, cerebral palsy, bell’s palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), etc., but what benefits come from treatment? With regular treatment, you can experience less pain and pressure, increased mobility, relieving tension of the central nervous system (CNS) – which helps boost your immune system and fight off infections, and increased productivity.
I hope you found this article helpful!
-Jessica Prince, LMT