Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST) is a method of light, hands-on manual therapy that focuses on releasing harmful and restrictive tensions deep in your body. Complementing your body’s natural healing processes, CST techniques gently guide the Central Nervous System in clearing the causes of pain, dysfunction, imbalances in your body’s natural rhythms and improving both brain/spinal cord and hormone/immune system functioning.
The cranial sacral system is comprised of the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord. By relieving excess tensions and restrictions that get anchored along these continuous membranes, impairments in related nervous tissue and hormone function are restored.
This happens because the pathway for movement of essential fluids through your body’s structures is cleared. These fluids help remove wastes, deliver nutrients and antibodies, and carry essential salts, minerals and hormones needed for daily bodily function.
How does Cranial Sacral Therapy Relate to Healing Injuries?
Every day your body endures stresses and strains that cause compensation in other structures. Like several hours of desk work; constant bending, reaching or lifting; high stress situations. Over time, this will cause your body tissues to tighten and distort the cranial sacral system. These distortions can then cause tension around the brain and spinal cord resulting in restricted function. This creates a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and potentially every other system it interacts with.
Fortunately, such restrictions can be detected and corrected. With a light touch, the CST practitioner evaluates the cranial sacral system by gently feeling various locations along the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in any tissues and joints influencing the cranial sacral system.
By normalizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord and enhancing your body’s ability to self-correct, Cranial Sacral Therapy is able to alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions. These can range from chronic pain and sports injuries to stroke and neurological impairment.
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Migraine Headaches
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Chronic Pain
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Motor-Coordination Impairments
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Nerve Disorders
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Orthopedic Problems
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Brain Injuries
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Spinal Cord Injuries
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Learning Disabilities
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Chronic Fatigue
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Emotional Difficulties
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Stress and Tension
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Fibromyalgia
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Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction
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Post-Traumatic Stress
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Post-Surgical Rehab
Registered Massage Therapist Catherine Macdonald has advanced training in Cranial Sacral Therapy through the Upledger Institute. Contact Catherine at Maximum Physiotherapy in Collingwood (705) 444-3600 to discuss whether CST may be able to help you.
