CRANIAL OSTEOPATHY

Cranial Osteopathy is a very gentle mode of treatment and diagnosis. And yet it is one of the most potent and far-reaching means of correcting structural and functional imbalances in a way that can bring about long lasting change for the better.

MECHANCIAL STRAINS

For instance, did you think that your spine fiinishes at the top of your neck? Well actually it doesn't. What are called the midline cranial and facial bones are really an extention of your spine. If these midline cranial and facial bones are out of alignment they can cause misalignment of the neck, lower back and pelvis. This could cause shoulder, hip and knee problems for instance. What's more, these misalignments of the cranial and facial bones are quite common and can be caused by things as varied as: Birth trauma, Physical trauma such as whiplash, Dental treatment, Poor postural habits, Emotional trauma and Leg length differences. It is well known that strains through the occiput (the bone that sits on top of your neck) and the sacrum (the bone that sits between your pelvic bones) play on each other mechanically. If one end is out of alignment the other end will have to compensate in sympathy. This can cause a twisting in the spinal column. So both ends - head and pelvis - must be checked out and adjusted together to restore harmony.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CHANGES

When the spine is twisted slightly this can put pressure on the nerves that exit the sides of the spinal column. If this pressure is slight it may cause changes of tone of the muscles supplied by the nerves. This may manifest as pain in certain muscles and joints supplied by those nerves. If the pressure on the nerves exiting either side of the spinal column is greater, it may cause a thing called nerve root irritation. This may cause pain, sensation changes or weakness in the arms or legs. So you can see how important correct alignment of the midline bones of the head and pelvis are, because this keeps the spine from twisting out of shape.

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM CHANGES

Another possible disruption from misalignment of the cranial and pelvic bones is to cause imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) IBS - for instance, did you know that a twist through your occiput can cause irritable bowel syndrome. This happens by dampening down the calming effects of the vagus nerve when it gets compressed at the occipitomastoid suture. The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathic part of the ANS, or the calming part. The occipitomastoid suture is a crack between the occipital bone and the mastoid part of the temporal bone. It is about 2 inches behind your ear. Is it tender when you press there? This may mean that your vagus nerve is being slightly compressed. The vagus nerve innervates your gut amongst other things. If compressed, then the gut can become sluggish and, over time, toxic, and this is what can cause symptoms of IBS. Part of the sacral plexus (ANS) that exits from your sacrum nnervates the lower part of your digestive system. If your pelvis is twisted or jammed this may also cause IBS symptoms such as constipation or bloating.