Cranial osteopathy is the name given to a subtle and refined approach to osteopathy that follows all the principles of osteopathy, but that includes the anatomy and physiology of the head. Cranial osteopaths use a highly trained sense of touch to feel subtle changes of tension and tissue quality in the living anatomy of the whole body, and to diagnose areas of strain or dysfunction.
The osteopath is often drawn to areas in the body that have been affected by past events, such as old accidents and injuries. The body may have learned to compensate for a traumatic event or injury and the patient may be unaware that there is anything wrong, but the effects may still be present and relevant to current symptoms.
Diagnosis and treatment are intimately linked as the osteopath works to activate the innate ability of the body to heal itself, and by offering gentle and specific support where it is needed to bring the tissues into a state of balance and release, to restore it to health.
How Does It Work?
Observing cranial treatment can be compared to watching someone reading a book. From the outside nothing much appears to be happening but, if you are the one reading the book, you are transported into a rich and fascinating world. As you continue to read, the story unfolds.
In a cranial treatment, an osteopath is deeply connected to the inner world of living anatomy and physiology. We listen carefully to the body’s life story and how it is trying to cope with the legacy of difficult events. Each tissue has a signature tone or note that we recognise, so it’s a bit like being the conductor of an orchestra. We didn’t write the music and we’re not playing an instrument, but we know each of the instruments/tissues and whether they are in tune and playing in harmony together.
In treatment the osteopath is guided by the tissues and support the re-balancing or release of areas of dysfunction. The body has an amazing ability to heal itself and maintain its own physiology in a state of health and uses the re-balancing during osteopathic treatment to re-establish healthy physiology.
What sort of patients or conditions can be helped with cranial osteopathy?
This approach to osteopathy is a way of viewing the body rather than a type of technique and it can be used on every patient – we treat people not conditions. Cranial osteopathy is widely known for the treatment of babies but is equally effective for children, adults and the elderly. In any osteopathic treatment, the whole body is involved and improvements are often noted in different areas and different systems than just the symptomatic one.
What does cranial treatment feel like?
Cranial osteopathic treatment is very gentle and relaxing. During the treatment some people are aware of different sensations, such as mild tension, aching or sensitivity that gradually disappear, or of feelings of warmth and relaxation. Other people are unaware of anything happening at all during the treatment but are aware that they feel very different afterwards. Most people become deeply relaxed during treatment and it is not uncommon for people to fall asleep.
Cranial osteopathy works in harmony with the body – not forcing the pace of change, nor dictating which part of the body is to be treated. This is why it is so useful for long standing or complex conditions. Cranial osteopathy can also be profound and powerful, so be prepared for wide ranging changes to occur, improving your general sense of wellbeing.