Tuesday, April 3, 2012

What is Cranial Osteopathy?


(sometimes also refered to as cranio sacral therapy)
Osteopathic Manual Treatment (OMT) was developed by Dr. A.T. Still (1828 - 1919). Cranial Osteopathy or Osteopathy in the Cranial Field (OCF) on the other hand was developed by W.G. Sutherland (1873 - 1954) a student of Dr. Still. 
Cranial osteopathy is a more refined form of osteopathic treatment (no manipulations of the spine) that encourages the release of stresses and tensions throughout the body and head using the Primary Respiratory Mechanism (PRM).
Primary Respiratory Mechanism
According to Sutherland there is a dynamic interrelation between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the physiological function of all cells in the human body and in particular those of the nervous system.
Primary - It is a system that comes “first.” It underlies all of life's processes and gives dynamism, form and substance to all of anatomy and physiology, driving all functions of the body.
Respiratory - It is the spark that gives rise to the breath as it moves through the tissues. It is the foundation of metabolism. It enables the exchange of gases and other substances between compartments of the body.
Mechanism - It manifests as a specific motion of the body, a system composed of many parts that work together to create a whole, greater than the sum of the parts.
The 5 components of the PRM
  • The fluctuation of the cerebrospinal fluid (Breath of Life).
  • The function of the reciprocal tension membrane.
  • The mobility of the neural tube.
  • The articular mobility of the cranial bones and the involuntary mobility of the sacrum between the ilia.
According to Sutherland the main function of this mechanism is to unimpeded metabolic processes in the body.






More information: http://www.cranialacademy.org/cranial.html

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