Holly...I hope this helps

[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:

Migraines and Headaches

Chronic Neck and Back Pain

MotorCoordination impairments

Stress and Tension-Related Problems

Chronic Pancreatitis Pain

Infantile Disorders

Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

Chronic Fatigue

Scoliosis

Central Nervous System Disorders

Emotional Difficulties

Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)

Learning Disabilities

Post_Traumatic Stress Disorder

Orthopedic Problems

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

Oregon State Chapter Rep

Pancreatitis Association, International

Re: acunputure

> Hey Mark.....what is craniosacral therapy?

> Holly

>

>

>