A form of massage that purports to use manipulation of the cranial bones and sutures to redirect the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. There is only limited evidence for its effectiveness.
Form of massage using gentle pressure on the plates of the patient’s skull.
A comprehensive therapy that purports to treat the whole person by carefully balancing the membranes, muscles, bones and fluids, which together make up the craniosacral system.
The therapy was developed from cranial osteopathy, which was promoted by Dr. William Sutherland in the 1940s. Practitioners explain that the craniosacral system contains the vital dural membranes surrounding the brain, the spinal cord including the spinal fluid, and the fascia enveloping every organ, muscle, nerve, and blood vessel throughout the body. They believe that these are joined together in a symmetrical rhythmic movement associated with the rhythmic secretion and absorption of the cerebrospinal fluid. Consequently imbalances or restrictions anywhere within their vital system cause stress, strain, and dysfunction in associated areas throughout the body.