Crainial Realignment - Mike

[Guest guest]

Here is a cranail realignment that a chiro taught me several years

ago.

The Premise is that your skull bones are not fused and can get

misaligned for various reasons. It happens to me everytime I get

sinus congestion - and the misalignment just perpetuates the sinus

problem.

The Method

Stand up straight or lie on your back with your feet flexed (as if

you were standing). Gently (let me emphasize gently) pull your chin

to your chest using your hands on the top/back of your head. Pull

gently - you don't want to cause neck damage (I've done that). Now

take a deep breath and suck like you are sucking on a passifier.

Stop when you need to take another breath (several seconds). Relax

and do again - three times total.

No guarentee that it will work - but it falls under the 'can't hurt'

catagory. I have found it to be helpful at times.

Crainal bone misalignment can also contribute to headaches.

[Guest guest]

Here is a cranial realignment that a chiro taught me several years

ago. The Premise is that your skull bones are not fused and can get

misaligned for various reasons. It happens to me everytime I get

sinus congestion - and the misalignment just perpetuates the sinus

problem.

The Method

Stand up straight or lie on your back with your feet flexed...

Gently...pull your chin to your chest using your hands on the

top/back of your head...Now take a deep breath and suck like you are

sucking on a passifier. Stop when you need to take another breath

(several seconds). Relax and do again - three times total.

----------------

The " premise " is absolutely valid. It is also one of the primary

areas of contention between conventional doctors and chiros/osteos.

Historically, " real " medical schools in the United States have

taught that the cranial bones fuse by the time you are in your late

teens, allowing no further movement. The sutures are flexible until

then to allow for growth. I remember being taught this in science

class in high school. (I don't know if they still teach it this way

or if they have finally wised up - although I doubt it). Medical

schools in Europe teach that the cranial bones do NOT fuse (and have

been teaching it this way for at least the last 100 years).

At any rate, the attitude of conventional medicine in the United

States has been that if chiros and osteos are " so absolutely wrong "

about such a simple thing as cranial bone fusion, then their entire

modality is suspect. There are other issues as well, but that is

part of it.

Cranial Osteopathy was developed in the 1920's by a DO,

Sutherland. His focus was on the cranial bones and their movement

at the cranial sutures. Then along comes Dr. Upledger in the

1970's. Quoting from my CST Level 1 manual:

" In the mid 1970's, the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan

State University sought to resolve this controversy. It brought

together a team of researchers led by Dr. Upledger. Their

objective was to prove or disprove the basic tenet of cranial

manipulative techniques. The major premise involved the movement of

cranial bones.

By studying fresh cranial bone specimens rather than the chemically

preserved specimens that were studied by previous researchers, the

Michigan State University team demonstrated the potential for

cranial bone movement. Optical and electron microscopy showed the

existence of blood vessels, nerve fibers, collagen and elastic

fibers within cranial sutures. There was little evidence of sutural

ossification...further studies...utilized radio wave broadcasts

between antennae affixed to the exposed surfaces of cranial bones in

adult living primates. This work yielded precise measurement of the

frequency and amplitude of cranial bone movement. "

The question has been answered. Period.

Upledger then did additional research that led to the " discovery " of

the Cranialsacral System as a " semi-closed hydraulic system

contained within a tough waterproof membrane (the Dura Mater) which

envelops the brain and the spinal cord. An important function of

this system is the production, circulation and reabsorption of

Cerebrospinal Fluid. "

In addition, this " hydraulic system " has a pumping motion and rhythm

(I think off the top of my head that it is 12-15 cycles per minute).

The body has paired and single bones. Paired would be arms, legs,

ribs, and the parietal and temporal cranial bones. Single bones

would be the sternum, spine, and occiput, frontal and sphenoid

cranial bones. Paired bones have a lateral/medial expanision and

contraction versus mid-line of the body. Single bones move

vertically on the mid-line - toward the feet and back toward the

head.

I think much of the difference between cranial osteopathy and

cranialsacral therapy is that CO focuses just on the movement and

misalignment of the cranial bones. CST addresses cranial bone

misalignment as well, but carries it through the entire

cranialsacral system between the cranium and sacrum and throughout

the spinal cord. Approaches are related but with significant

differences.

Now - your example and method. Right off the bat, cranial bone

misalignment absolutely can contribute to headaches and sinus

problems. Based on your description, my guess is that your method

is focusing on sphenoid bone misalignment. The sphenoid is a

butterfly shaped bone right behind the eyes. It articulates

posteriorly at the occiput. It is also the prime mover for that

hydraulic pumping. In addition, it has major hormonal implications

because movement of the sphenoid also affects pumping of the

pituitary gland.

I will show you an " official CST " technique this summer to adjust

the sphenoid. It is done with very very gentle pressure at the

corners of the eyes (tips of the sphenoid bone). You put the tips

of your fingers at the corners of the eyes and gently push straight

toward the back of your head, hold, and then reverse the push toward

the front of your face. It is easier to demo than describe. I

rarely do a full ten step CST routine; I frequently adjust sphenoids

when I am working on someone. And sometimes for practice and " just

because " I will do an off-body adjustment. I will connect

energetically with my hands 2-3 inches away from the head, tune in

to the sphenoid ossicillations (when it is misaligned, it gets all

wonky and can do things like corkscrew movements), and then adjust

it energetically.

As far as that goes, I would have no qualms about showing/teaching

you how to do a full basic ten step protocol. That is another major

area of contention between Upledger and his DO peers. He correctly

feels that it is a technique that can safely be taught to lay

people. His classes are not only open to ALL licensed health care

providers and students in any health care related field, but to just

plain folks off the street with appropriate waivers and special

permission.

[Guest guest]

>

> ---------------

> >

>

> Now - your example and method. Right off the bat, cranial bone

> misalignment absolutely can contribute to headaches and sinus

> problems. Based on your description, my guess is that your method

> is focusing on sphenoid bone misalignment. The sphenoid is a

> butterfly shaped bone right behind the eyes. It articulates

> posteriorly at the occiput. It is also the prime mover for that

> hydraulic pumping.

replies - When I was in the chiro's office he didn't have me

do this - he was the one that sorta pushed the bones back into

place. I hesitate to say pushed - because there was minimal

pressure. He would put his fingers on my head in various places and

have me breathe in and out. He showed me this technique to do self

help since I was having major sinus problems at the time.

In addition, it has major hormonal implications

> because movement of the sphenoid also affects pumping of the

> pituitary gland.

Replies - hmmm, so if that affects my pituitary it would

then affect the pituitary/adrenal/hypothalamus axis correct?!? And

when that happens my internal thermostat gets sorta wacked out. I'm

going to have to pay more attention to the timing and see if the two

are related - they easily could be.

>

> I will show you an " official CST " technique this summer

replies - As I've said earlier - I'm more than willing to

learn what will contribute to the health of this household.

>

That is another major

> area of contention between Upledger and his DO peers. He correctly

> feels that it is a technique that can safely be taught to lay

> people.

replies - this is another thing that makes me shake my

head. Why wouldn't these techniques be safe to teach to us lay

people. Are we incapable of learning? Are the techniques that

difficult to grasp? Are the doctors really that impressed with

themselves? I don't think so.

Although I believe that doctors certainly have more knowledge about

their specialty that I do, I don't believe they are any smarter.

I've had classes with premed students and I can vouch for the fact

that they were not the smartest kids in class. And last but

certainly not least - since I have a vested interest in learning

these techniques I have more enthusiasm and usually that enthusiasm

makes for a better learner and once I have the knowledge, my

enthusiasm can make me a better practitioner.

OK, off my soap box now.

[Guest guest]

I won't argue that a little knowledge can be dangerous - but I will

apply that to the medical profession as well. Way too many of them

don't really know what they are doing - they treat everyone the same

way - with out really thinking about the individual person. " hey, it

worked for 78% of the people in this study so I'll just apply it to

all my patients " - they often don't know under what conditions the

particular technique would be contraindicated and they often forget

the part of the Hippocratic Oath that says " First do no Harm " . I've

had more than one personal experience with this.

Willingness to treat the medical community fairly - I will admit that

I am at the point where a doctor, nurse, PT, etc has to prove

themselves before I really trust them.

-------------------------------

>

> In fairness to the medical profession (assuming either of us is

> willing to treat them fairly), there is a legitimate reluctance to

> share out of concern that " a little knowledge can be a dangerous

> thing. " Specifically, that lay people won't know enough about

> contraindicated conditions or situations and can end up making

> things worse. And, yes, there is also that keep everything to

> themselves mentally.

>

> Some of it is like the old joke about the guy who takes his car

into

> the shop because it is running rough. The mechanic pops the hood,

> looks inside, grabs a screwdriver and gives one screw a quarter

> turn, closes the hood and then presents a bill for $100. The guy

> freaks out about the bill and complains " $100! All you did was turn

> one screw! " The mechanic takes the bill back, crosses everything

> off, rewrites it and hands it back. It now reads " Turning Screw

> $5. Knowing which screw to turn $95. "

--------------------------------

My problem with this is what the mechanic would say if I asked which

screw he turned and why ( a very typical question from me) - if he

explained it a way that I can understand then maybe I can turn the

screw myself next time - then again, maybe I need a special

screwdriver and I can't or for some other reason I shouldn't - (that

should be part of the explaination). However, if the mechanic throws

his screwdriver across the room and yells at me that he's the

mechanic and that if I can't trust him maybe he shouldn't be fixing

my car - that's the time I politely collect my keys, pay my bill and

never go back - even if he continues to send me little discount

coupons in the mail.

[Guest guest]

they often forget the part of the Hippocratic Oath that says " First

do no Harm " . I've had more than one personal experience with this.

-----------

So has my family. And that is part of the reason I have become as

obsessed as I have with the study of bodywork modalities and

alternative therapies. I have been personally " injured " physically

and financially more than once when a " provider " overlooked that

part of the oath.