Craniosacral Therapy

[roxie]

Has anyone tried craniosacral therapy? Does it help you?

I am doing craniosacral therapy (CST) and thought I'd post about it. I searched and saw it was posted about in the past here:

http://forums.dinet.org/index.php?/topic/13489-cranial-manipulation/

But it could be brought again!

Anyways, I have EDS that caused my POTS and a fair amount of muscle pain. We found that my muscles simply aren't activating and my exercise physiologist gave me new exercises to activate and also greatly recommended gentle forms of bodywork like myofascial release to ease pain and help activate muscles.

I searched and searched for someone found on that appeared ok and callec. she said she would research POTS & EDS and ACTUALLY did!!

My first time we were talking about it all She says "you must have a mild case you don't look like the pictures but I'm just going to look at things today and where they are." She meant I didn't look like I had mobility problems or dislocations etc. I was like " well I'm very hypermobile"

I get on the table and she touches my hips, makes a face, and touched again. She says "oh my you are loose". Long story she says she NEVER seen anyone with such loose joints and muscles but such tightness in them. They're like tight bands in them. She said she sees exactly why I'm in pain. My body is this fight between laxity and tightness. It's so weird.

We talked about some things and she said first she would like me to see this other therapist who specializes in craniosacral therapy Bc of the gentleness or therapy and its ability to help pain and the nervous system.

This is inventors website:

http://www.upledger.com/content.asp?id=61

This is a simple explanation of CST & the ANS :

http://drsandrasmit.wordpress.com/cranio-sacral-explained/

I've done four treatments of CST and Im on the fence but its really interesting. She measure my cerebral spinal fluid flow from the pulses it gives in certain areas and my head and thoracic completely drag! She said that a normal person is like a 6-8 on a scale of 10. I came it at a 1. She touched my head and said "you don't have much going on up here, it's like a peanut".

Random fact- when the bones cut off cerebral spinal fluid it's considered a chairi

What were hoping is that by opening up and balancing the cerebral spinal fluid that my body will work more in sync and have less pain, hopefully leveling out my ANS too. She said that she feels very strong fight or flight responses from me. Like my body is always on and always running. Dr's have tried to explain POTS like that, haven't they? They haven't been able to feel it though.

Tbh, I don't know how its going to turn out but I thought I'd mention it.

[badhbt]

I am curious if you have ever had any xrays or MRI's of your spine?

[roxie]

I have had a few and nothing has ever shown.

[issie]

I have and found it very relaxing. I used to see an osteopath that did manipulations and he also incorporated cranial sacral into his work. The first time I saw him was a week after I broke my back. Nothing, and I mean nothing was getting me out of pain. Tore muscle and ligaments a loose down the back of my spine and had a compound fracture. It was horrible and a long slow recovery. But, within 20 minutes of being on his table and him doing very gentle, almost undetected work with my nerves - I relaxed and the pain was temporarily gone. It was so wonderful. I would love to find another doc like that where I live now. Because, it really seemed to make a difference, especially with pain.

Issie

[Kellysavedbygrace]

Dr. Peter Rowe at Johns Hopkins recommended to my husband that I try CS therapy. I've had many massages and always ask about it but the people I've met so far don't really know how to do it. I've thought about looking into finding someone locally and have heard from a therapist in Idaho that there is a massage school that specializes in this form of therapy somewhere here in FL.

In the meantime, when I am crashing hard sometimes my hubby or daughter will do a massage of my neck, spine and sacral area that puts slow, firm, non-moving pressure around the sides of my spinal cord. It really seems to help me relax. Don't know if it is anything like CS therapy but I do notice I am most effected by the neck and sacral areas.

[roxie]

That is awesome and encouraging, issue! Here is a link to a site that'll help find a certified practioner near you

http://www.upledger.com/findApractitioner.asp

Kelly, did you see Dr Rowe? I've heard such good things about him use the link above to find a practioner. I don't know for sure of what your husband and daughter is cranial sacral but the do work the sacrum & the cranium! The link above is to the Upledger Institue & it's listed as being located in Palm Beach, FL. Could that be the one you are thinking of?

[Kellysavedbygrace]

I bet it is. Thanks for the link.

Palm beach is on the East coast and I'm on the West coast of FL but I bet I can find someone.

In the fall of 2011 my hubby called Dr. Rowe, actually got him on the phone and discussed my case with him. Unfortunately he only treats pediatric patients so he recommended I see Nancy Klimas in Miami (which I haven't done yet but haven't ruled out either.). They both specialize in CFS. Btw- Dr. Rowe has a great you tube video about CFS and Orthostatic Intolerance.

[Kellysavedbygrace]

Here's the link:

Check out this video on YouTube:

[roxie]

Thanks Kelly! I'm going to watch this video again.

[anitamarcello]

Hi. 

I have tried craniosacral therapy with 3 different therapists.  The last 2 therapists made me feel worse.

I actually fell asleep on the table and had to sleep immediately for hours when the last 2 therapists worked on me.

The last time I did it for 2 sessions, it made me worse.   I could hear a bruit in my head or I could feel my pulse actually in my head.

This cannot be good. 

I think that the therapists caused my vagus nerve to be impinged and I have been dizzy every since.

So it made my dysautonomia worse.

I am wondering if I should see another doctor who does it to undo what the last one did.