A new page I added to the site.....about physical therapy (CranioSacral Therapy) Hop all is well...Mark

[Guest guest]

The Therapeutic Value of CranioSacral Therapy

While the validity of the cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms is undisputed

today, for eons the very existence of these systems sparked debates in medical

communities around the globe.

Now for nearly 25 years, osteopathic physician and researcher E. Upledger,

D.O., O.M.M., has been a proponent of using the rhythm of another body system --

the craniosacral system -- to enhance body functioning, and help alleviate pain

and discomfort.

The craniosacral system consist of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that

surround and protects the brain and spinal cord. It extends from the bones of

the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum, or the

tailbone area.

Since this vital system influences the development and performance of the brain

and spinal cord, an imbalance or restriction in it could potentially cause any

number of sensory, motor or neurological disabilities. These problems could

include chronic pain, eye difficulties, Scoliosis, MotorCoordination

impairments, learning disabilities and other health challenges.

CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle method of detection and correction that

encourages your own natural healing mechanisms to dissipate these negative

effects of stress on your central nervous system. You also benefit from better

overall health and resistance to disease.

How is CranioSacral Therapy Performed?

CranioSacral Therapy is performed on a person fully clothed. Using a light touch

-- generally no more than the weight of a nickel -- the practitioner monitors

the rhythm of the craniosacral system to detect potential restrictions and

imbalances. The therapist then uses delicate manual techniques to release those

problem areas and relieve undue pressure on the brain and spinal cord.

A CranioSacral Therapy session can last from about 15 minutes to more than an

hour, and the initial evaluation alone is often enough to correct a problem. The

result? A central nervous system free of restrictions. And a body that's able to

return to its greatest levels of performance.

Who can perform CranioSacral Therapy?

Because of its positive effect on so many body functions, CranioSacral Therapy

is practiced today by a wide variety of healthcare professionals. They include

osteopathic physicians, medical doctors, doctors of chiropractic, doctors of

Oriental medicine, naturopathic physicians, nurses, psychiatric specialists,

psychologists, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech

therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and other professional

bodyworkers.

What Conditions Does CranioSacral Therapy Address?

CranioSacral Therapy strengthens your body's ability to take better care of you.

It helps alleviate a range of illness, pain and dysfunction, including:

1.. Migraines and Headaches

2.. Chronic Neck and Back Pain

3.. MotorCoordination impairments

4.. Stress and Tension-Related Problems

5.. Chronic Pancreatitis Pain

6.. Infantile Disorders

7.. Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

8.. Chronic Fatigue

9.. Scoliosis

10.. Central Nervous System Disorders

11.. Emotional Difficulties

12.. Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)

13.. Learning Disabilities

14.. Post_Traumatic Stress Disorder

15.. Orthopedic Problems

16.. And Many Other Conditions.

What is SomatoEmotional Release

Have you ever had a physical injury that seemed to plague you long after the

site had healed? That's not as unusual as you might think. Even when

CranioSacral Therapy releases restrictions in the body tissues, sometimes a

release of emotional energy is necessary to fully discharge a trauma. In those

cases, the CranioSacral Therapist may gently encourage a SomatoEmotional

Release.

Research conducted in the late '70s by Dr. Upledger and biophysicist Zvi

Karni led to the discovery that the body often retains the emotional imprint of

physical trauma. These imprints, especially of intense feelings that may have

occurred at the time of injury --anger, fear, resentment -- leave residues in

the body in areas called " energy cysts " .

Although you can adapt to energy cysts, over time your body needs extra energy

to continue performing its day-to-day functions. Then as years pass and the body

becomes more stressed, it can lose its ability to adapt. That's when symptoms

and dysfunction's begin to appear and become difficult to suppress or ignore.

Through SomatoEmotional Release, the therapist engages in imaging and dialoguing

techniques that can guide the patient through and otherwise challenging

encounter with long-held emotions. The patient does not need to analyze the

problem to release it. Often the body will spontaneously return to the same

position it was in when the injury was first sustained. As this occurs, the

therapist can feel the tissues of the body relax as the energy cyst is expelled.

Then the body is free to return to its optimal levels of functioning.

How Do I Locate Practitioners Skilled in CranioSacral Therapy

You can locate healthcare professionals through the international Association of

Healthcare Practitioners (IAHP) membership directory. Go to http://www.iahp.com/

and then click on Locate Practitioners then click on your state. The letters

after the persons name you are looking for is VMI, VMIA, VMIB, VMR, VLT, PIVM,

MFR. The more letters they have after their name the higher levels of therapy

they provide. If you wish to speak to a live person contact the Upledger

Institute at

How Did CranioSacral Therapy Begin?

CranioSacral Therapy dates back to 1970 when osteopathic physician E.

Upledger first witnessed the rhythmic movement of the craniosacral system during

a spinal surgery. Yet none of his colleagues nor medical texts could explain the

phenomenon.

Two years later, Dr. Upledger attended a short course on cranial Osteopathy

developed by Dr. Sutherland. The course focused on the bones of the

skull and the fact -- surprising at the time -- that they weren't fused as

doctors had been taught in medical school. Instead, Sutherland's material

demonstrated that skull bones continue to move throughout a person's life.

Putting this new information together with the odd pulsing rhythm he'd observed

years before, Dr. Upledger theorized that a hydraulic system of sorts was

functioning inside the craniosacral system. He then set out to confirm his

theories.

In 1975 he joined the Osteopathic College at Michigan State University as a

clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. There he led a team of

anatomists, physiologist, biophysicists and bioengineers to test and document

the influence of therapy on the craniosacral system. For the first time they

were able to explain the function of the cranisacral system, and demonstrate how

light touch therapy could be used to evaluate and treat malfunctions involving

the brain and spinal cord.

In 1985, Dr. Upledger went on to establish the Upledger Institute to teach the

public and healthcare practitioners about the benefits of CranioSacral Therapy.

To date, The Upledger Institute has trained more than 50,000 healthcare

practitioner's worldwide in the use of CranioSacral Therapy.

Check out the Upledger Institute website at www.upledger.com

Mark E. Armstrong

www.top5plus5.com