Cranial Osteopathy

Cranial osteopathy is a very gentle non-manipulative technique that is safe to use on a wide range of conditions on babies, adults and the elderly.

It follows all the principles of Osteopathy but also includes the anatomy and physiology of the head.

It appreciates there can be several contributing factors leading to your problem. These can be biological, social and / or psychological in nature which can place a physical or emotional stress or strain on the body causing it to tense up or become restricted.

If not addressed these tensions can build up over time and reduce your body's ability to compensate, causing symptoms to develop.

The main aim of Cranial technique is to gently optimise the flow of cerebro spinal fluid (CFS) and relax tensions of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord and so improve movements in joints.

Cranial Osteopathy was developed in 1929 by Dr. William G. Sutherland D.O. as an extension to the principals of Osteopathy founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still M.D., D.O.

Dr Sutherland described a concept of the primary respiratory mechanism (PRM). The PRM is the rhythmical ebb and flow that occurs throughout the whole body. Cranial Osteopaths use their hightened palpatory skills to feel for subtle changes in tissue quality and tension and try to influence its amplitude and frequency to bring about change.

Osteopaths are often drawn to areas in the body that have been affected by past events, whether physical or emotional. Due to the body's ability to compensate and adapt past events may still be relevant to current symptom patterns as these tensions may not have been resolved.