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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, including the head.It is extremely
effective in treating a wide range of conditions in people of all
ages, from birth to old age.
Why is it different?
In their training, Osteopaths are taught a variety of treatment methods
and techniques, ranging from the well known 'high velocity thrust'
with its dramatic clicks, to the very gently applied methods used
by so called 'cranial osteopaths'.Osteopaths vary their treatment
methods depending on their own preference and individual patients'
problems.
'Cranial Osteopath' is the name by which osteopaths who work at the
more gentle, subtle end of the spectrum of different treatment approaches
have become known.
Osteopaths may have different specialities including sports injuries,
paediatrics, visceral (treating the internal organs of the body).
Cranial osteopathy embraces all of these.
Cranial Osteopaths are trained to feel a very subtle, rhythmical shape
change that is present in all 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 inside.
Impacts to the head can block or disrupt this movement. This 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 in an optimum state of health, or whether there is something
preventing healthy movement of the tissues from occurring.
What does treatment Involve?
An osteopath takes a detailed medical history from the patient followed
by a careful examination. He/she will make a diagnosis of hat is causing
the symptoms, and try to put together the 'story' of why they have
developed.
Using very subtle and gentle techniques, the accumulated stresses
and strains in the body are gradually released.
Th aim is to relieve the current symptoms and also improve the underlying
health of the tissues as far a possible in order that they do not
recur.
This type of treatment is suitable for everyone from new-born babies
to the very elderly, being extremely gentle.
What
does treatment feel like?
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 their body and they become deeply
relaxed.
The
benefit of treatment
Osteopathic treatment is aimed not only at the relief of symptoms,
but towards helping the body function better in all respect.
Patients often report improvement in general well being, energy
level, sleep patterns and also in areas of symptoms other than those
that brought them to the osteopath in the first place.
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