Jump to content

Craniosacral therapy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Farseer (talk | contribs) at 01:52, 13 January 2006 (→‎References: NPOV). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Craniosacral therapy is a method of alternative medicine purportedly used to assess and enhance the functioning of the craniosacral system, which consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid of the central nervous system. Proponents claim that measurements of craniosacral motion are indicative of breath/heart rate, and that by lightly pressing on the cranial sutures of the skull they can remove restrictions in the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, relieving stress, decreasing pain, and enhancing overall health. These claims have been shown to be false[1] [2] [3] [4], and numerous studies done that support the claims have been shown to be unreliable [5].

History

Craniosacral therapy was introduced by osteopathic doctor William Sutherland in the early 1900s. Sutherland theorized that the bones of the skull could be moved along their sutures, and towards the end of his life Sutherland began to sense a "power" which generated corrections from inside his clients' bodies without the influence of external forces applied by him as the therapist. Similar to Qi and Prana, this contact with what he called "the Breath of Life" changed his entire treatment focus to one of spiritual reverence and subtle touch. This spiritual approach to the work has come to be known as "Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy", and has had further contributions by such practitioners as Dr. Roland Becker, James Jealous, and Franklyn Sills.

In 1970, osteopath John E. Upledger observed during a surgical procedure on the neck what he described as a pulse within the craniosacral system. He then discovered the work done by Sutherland, and thought that if movement of the cranial bones were possible, the pulse he had observed would be explained. From 1975 to 1983, Upledger worked at Michigan State University as a clinical researcher and professor, and set up a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists, and bioengineers to investigate the pulse he had observed and study further Sutherland's theory of cranial bone movement. Upledger went on to publish his results, which show support for both the concept of cranial bone movement and the concept of a cranial pulse [6] [7] [8], but these results are unreliable [5].

In 1985 Upledger established the Upledger Institute, a health center dedicated to the education and certification of practitioners in craniosacral and related therapies. The Karuna Institute also offers training in craniosacral therapy.

Criticisms

Skeptics point out the scientific evidence for cranial bone movement is insufficient to support the theories claimed by craniosacral practitioners. Scientific research has long supported the theory that the cranial bones fuse during adolescence, making movement impossible [9]. Further, while evidence exists for a cranial pulse, it is caused by the functioning of the cardiovascular system and not by the workings of the craniosacral system [2]. Finally, while there is plenty of colloquial evidence in support of the link between the cranial pulse and general health, no research to date has supported this claim.

References

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Craniosacral_therapy&oldid=34965997"