CranioSacral and Infant Sleeping Problems

 

Infants need lots of sleep. When a baby rubs his eyes that is a sure sign that they are sleepy. Always finish feeding, burping and diaper change before settling baby to sleep. Swaddling your infant provides security and helps him/her fall to sleep but check that they are not too hot. Some infants like to stay close to mom for the first few weeks but it pays to establish a good routine of putting baby into the crib to sleep when you both feel ready.

Some infants may still have difficulty getting to sleep despite mom and dad doing all of the above. Many of these children would have had a difficult birth and go on to develop problems with both feeding and sleeping before I first see them.

When I treat these children I check for any areas of tightness in their body. As these release the baby sighs and relaxes. If the birth has been distressing, we take time to check the effect this has had on the infant, mom (and dad too) if needed. This helps with the bonding process which in turn helps baby to feel more secure and mom to feel more competent. It is common for baby to sleep for a long time after a CranioSacral treatment.  Many parents report that they have had their first night sleep following this CranioSacral treatment.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

CranioSacral Therapy for Moms and Babies

 

I see many women come to me for CranioSacral Therapy while they are pregnant. Some women come to me to relieve pain or discomfort they experience; while others come just to support their bonding with baby and for wellness. All are good reasons for treatment. CranioSacral therapy can help relieve or decrease your pain as your body is transitioning and preparing for the baby. It can also help you decrease stress and increase bonding with your baby.

What do you do after baby is born though? I always encourage moms to bring in their babies after they are born as soon as they are able. The birth process can often be quite traumatic and even when it is not baby does have to transition to being out of the womb. Baby’s body needs to learn how to digest, deal with outside stimulation, and a host of other things we no longer think about. CranioSacral Therapy can help that transition.  Moms often can use therapy as well to help them recover from giving birth.

How does that look? Well I would recommend a half an hour for your baby and that will give me enough time to check their whole CranioSacral system and help correct problems they may have. I do encourage mom to book in as well, even if it is just for half an hour to help her transition after birth. I have had moms get treated with baby in a car seat beside the table and I have treated moms while they are holding their baby.  We work with whatever the situation requires.  It is beautiful to see and mother and baby leave the treatment room calmer and more content than when they came in.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

CranioSacral Therapy and Mouth Work

I have been practicing CranioSacral therapy since 2002 and it has helped me and many of my clients.  When most people talk about this therapy they talk about headaches, birth trauma, or chronic pain.  CranioSacral therapy helps all these things.  But I would like to share my experience with CranioSacral therapy and mouth work.  It has changed me.

I should start with a little history.  Now, I did not have any serious mouth or jaw problems growing up that I can remember.  My biggest problem with my jaw was probably stress clenching.  I know that is not a scientific word but I am sure many people know what I am talking about.  As my stress would increase so would my jaw tension.  When I started taking CranioSacral therapy and receiving treatments is when I noticed a significant difference.  After my first mouth work treatment that I received I could not believe the difference.  My mouth felt bigger and much more relaxed.  I started raving about this to my clients and trying the techniques out on them.  From chronic headache sufferers to clients with braces, the results have been amazing.

Another benefit of mouth work, for me at least, has been the ability to speak more freely.  When we have increased tension in and around our mouths it may unknowingly inhibit our ability to speak.  When even some of our tension is released that allows us to speak.

Mouth work in CranioSacral Therapy is something I practice on most of my clients, especially the infants.  I often see children with birth trauma, tongue ties, etc. and I find that mouth work is essential for them to get the results that they need.  While treating infants I am constantly reassuring, explaining and sometimes even showing the parents how much pressure I am using on their children.

 

When practicing CranioSacral therapy in the mouth it just as gentle as when you work outside the mouth.  Sometimes even more gentle.  The practitioner uses gloves and can better access some of the bones of the mouth, the teeth, and even some of the muscles.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

How Does CranioSacral Therapy Complement other Medical Interventions?

Most Medical and Healthcare practitioners see CranioSacral Therapy as a gentle and non-invasive Complementary Therapy - it is considered as suitable for the co-treatment of a number of conditions.

Many medical professionals criteria for recommending  therapies is that if it is doing no harm, makes you feel good and does not cost too much then go ahead.

To answer the question more directly, I often receive new clients in the following situations:

·         They have been through formal medical channels.
Often in the case of back pain, stress related illness etc. Clients feel they have exhausted all that formal medicine has to offer. This is ideal from my point of view as a full medical history has been built up and the individual's condition has been pre-checked by a medical practitioner.

·         The client wishes to complement formal medical treatment with another therapy.
Many of my pregnant clients and moms with infants and children are receiving formal medical care for their conditions and related complications. They typically continue with this care as they attend CranioSacral Therapy to further relieve symptoms or to reach the parts that they feel formal medical interventions cannot reach.

In summary, in my experience the answer is yes - CranioSacral Therapy can be used alongside formal medical interventions. 

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

CranioSacral Therapy and Women

One of the greatest benefits of CranioSacral therapy is its effectiveness in dealing with the many natural cycles, conditions and related complications that we women go through as we journey through life.

Conditions such as:

·         Puberty.

·         Attempting to get pregnant.

·         Pregnancy.

·         Pregnancy and birth complications.

·         Infant and toddler care and nurturing.

·         Menopause.

·         Conditions attached to later in life.

It is also in the area of Women's Health that conventional medicine and complementary health approaches are often found working side-by-side.

It is interesting to note that I notice the following:

• The majority of people who make health decisions in the households tend to be the women (booking children, husbands for treatments).
• While women are very happy to put enormous time and energy into looking after others (their unborn children when pregnant, baby infants, toddlers, children, Husbands/partners) - they seem to put themselves last in line when it comes to good old preventative and early treatment of many ailments!

I feel it is important for women to learn to take better care of themselves.

Working with CranioSacral Therapy myself over the last number of years has helped me to get more in touch with my own natural health rhythm - and I have found that while many of my female clients may have come for a specific ailment - over time they start to listen more to their own body and learn just what it needs to get back to health and stay there for the long term.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca. 

CranioSacral Therapy and the Birth Process

The birth process is traumatic any way we look at it. If there has been intervention during the birth (induction, caesarean section, vacuum or forceps) or a long and heavy labour – this, in some cases, may have an ill effect on the infant’s head and back. The bones of the skull and spine, the nerves and membranes are moved out of their correct position and so cause the infant discomfort.

While these interventions were necessary for the infant’s safe delivery the excess force can override the baby’s natural ability to allow these bones to slip back into their correct position. If this is a problem for your infant you may notice that your infant tends to turn only in one direction, doesn’t like to lie flat, wants to be held in an upright position or that there are obvious bumps, cone shape or depressions on the head. Some moms notice bruising or marks at side of the head.

When these restrictions are released with the subtle touch of CranioSacral therapy - the baby is happier, sleeps and feeds better and so doesn’t need to cry.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Saline Nasal Wash

With cold and flu season upon us already this is something that is really helpful and quite easy to do.

The practice of saline nasal wash or lavage (called Neti in the yoga tradition) is a time honored folk remedy for a variety of respiratory complaints, as well is a simple and effective tool for maintaining nasal health. The technique is simple, and if practiced correctly, provides gentle and immediate relief of nasal congestion.

The keys to comfortable nasal lavage are concentration and temperature. The solution should have the same salt concentration as your tears (0.9%) and be warmed to normal body temperature or a bit warmer. If the salt concentration is too low or too high, the experience can be very unpleasant (like getting water up your nose when you are swimming). Water that is too cool will cause the nasal membranes to swell, defeating the purpose of the wash. Water that is too hot will burn the sensitive nasal mucosa.

The solution should be prepared with water and a pure, non-iodized salt. Canning and pickling salt is pure (99.95% NaCl), cheap, and readily available (you can buy it at any supermarket that carries canning supplies). Kosher salt is an acceptable alternative, as well as sea salt.

The amount of salt you need to add will depend upon both the volume of water you use and the texture of the salt you select (the coarser the grind, the more you need). 

¼ - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup filtered water

Pour about 1/2 cup of this solution into a Neti pot or squeeze bottle. (A Neti pot is a small ceramic vessel, shaped like an Aladdin's lamp that is specifically designed for nasal lavage. Neti pots are available in some health food stores and yoga supply shops.  Bending over a sink, hold the spout to one nostril, tilt your head and pour the solution through so it flows out the other nostril. After rinsing, gently blow the loosened mucus out and repeat as needed. If you prefer, the same solution can be used in a spray bottle.

It may be very difficult to get past the initial revulsion and fear of choking, but once tried it can be both comfortable and soothing.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca. 

CranioSacral Therapy for Whiplash

Whiplash is classically defined as a sudden acceleration-deceleration force that causes unrestrained, rapid forward and backward movement of the head and neck. Symptoms can include a painful neck, headache, dizziness, pins and needles in the arms and hands, fatigue. These symptoms can appear immediately after the accident or even some days later. It often happens during motor vehicle accidents. Ever been rear-ended by someone or had an impact to the side or front? If your answer is ‘yes’ then you might know what I mean, or you might have been one of the lucky ones and escaped without any symptoms.

Whiplash can also occur following other types of mishaps – bungee jumping – would be an extreme example, but even falling, tripping awkwardly, being assaulted, diving, sports etc. Some people can also experience concussion along with the whiplash even though they may not have actually had an impact to the head – obviously if the neck moves the head will move too – and sometimes the energy from the sudden forward and back whip of the neck can give a jolt to the brain.

While there are also obviously many whiplashes that either get better by themselves or with the help of a skilled practitioner, I still regularly see people who come to my office because they are suffering from the effects of a whiplash that occurred months and sometimes years earlier. Sometimes things have even improved, but then progress has stalled and they are still left with pain and discomfort in many different parts of the body, not just the neck.

When someone has a whiplash injury, or indeed any kind of accident or injury, the whole body is involved in the response and in the healing process.   So if I can take into account all the different ways that the body received that injury then the healing can be much more complete.

For example, when the head is thrown suddenly forward and then back again a strain can be created through the neck and along whole spine all the way down to the pelvis and low back and unless the sacrum (tailbone) and pelvis are treated and the tension released, usually the neck will have difficulty recovering. Maybe one foot was pressed hard on the brake and a force went up the leg; maybe the person was looking in a particular direction; perhaps the air bag deployed; or the head hit the steering wheel, all of these details are useful when it comes to putting my hands on and listening to the body to determine where and how these strains and stresses need to be released.

That’s one of the great things about CranioSacral Therapy. By quietly listening to the body the therapist’s hands can help release these strains and tensions which then allows the body’s own self-correcting forces to get to work to do the healing.

Jeannette Raskin RMT, CST, practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca. 

Problems with Sleeping

Infants need lots of sleep. When a baby rubs his eyes that is a sure sign that they are sleepy. Always finish feeding, burping and diaper change before settling baby to sleep. Swaddling your infant provides security and helps him/her fall to sleep but check that they are not too hot. Some infants like to stay close to mom for the first few weeks but it pays to establish a good routine of putting baby into the crib to sleep when you both feel ready.

Some infants may still have difficulty getting to sleep despite mom and dad doing all of the above. Many of these children would have had a difficult birth and go on to develop problems with both feeding and sleeping before I first see them.

When I treat these children I check for any areas of tightness in their body. As these release the baby sighs and relaxes. If the birth has been distressing, we take time to check the effect this has had on the infant, mom (and dad too) if needed. This helps with the bonding process which in turn helps baby to feel more secure and mom to feel more competent. It is common for baby to sleep for a long time after a CranioSacral treatment.  Many parents report that they have had their first night sleep following this CranioSacral treatment.

Jeannette Raskin RMT, CST practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

CranioSacral Therapy for Moms and Babies

I see many women come to me for CranioSacral Therapy while they are pregnant. Some women come to me to relieve pain or discomfort they experience; while others come just to support their bonding with baby and for wellness. All are good reasons for treatment. CranioSacral therapy can help relieve or decrease your pain as your body is transitioning and preparing for the baby. It can also help you decrease stress and increase bonding with your baby.

What do you do after baby is born though? I always encourage moms to bring in their babies after they are born as soon as they are able. The birth process can often be quite traumatic and even when it is not baby does have to transition to being out of the womb. Baby’s body needs to learn how to digest, deal with outside stimulation, and a host of other things we no longer think about. CranioSacral Therapy can help that transition.  Moms often can use therapy as well to help them recover from giving birth.

How does that look? Well I would recommend a half an hour for your baby and that will give me enough time to check their whole CranioSacral system and help correct problems they may have. I do encourage mom to book in as well, even if it is just for half an hour to help her transition after birth. I have had moms get treated with baby in a car seat beside the table and I have treated moms while they are holding their baby.  We work with whatever the situation requires.  It is beautiful to see and mother and baby leave the treatment room calmer and more content than they came in.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

How many Craniosacral sessions do I need?

This is a question most people are wondering, even if they do not ask it, as they consider the time and financial commitment required by them to work on their condition through CranioSacral Therapy.

So, firstly, the most important step is to come in for an initial appointment. From that point it becomes evident how many sessions are likely depending on your condition and how well you respond to the treatment.

Some people may need just two sessions to relieve the main symptoms of their conditions whereas others may need four or five sessions inside a month followed by maintenance sessions for some time afterwards. I often find that the therapy works very effectively when given intensively over a short time.  For example, one session a week for a few weeks in a row.

One of the things that I am very conscious of is to not generate a level of dependence on myself, the therapist. As result I am always happy when the client decides that they have got what they needed from the therapy for the present and rebook when they feel they need another session - or indeed, they are happy to move on.

As the sessions progress, the client is always in the "driver’s seat". I like to teach clients to listen to their bodies and let that guide them.

Oftentimes, clients may need to see another practitioner such as a chiropractor or acupuncturist to assist them in their journey to optimum health. These sessions often happen in parallel with the CranioSacral treatments. This is a client's individual choice and unfolds as treatments progress.

So, hopefully the above gives you an idea of how many sessions of CranioSacral Therapy are necessary for different conditions - but the main thing to remember is that each person has individual circumstances and will be treated accordingly.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Craniosacral Therapy for the whole Family!

We usually think of CranioSacral Therapy for ourselves or our children but it can be helpful for many others as well. I have worked on dogs and cats and know others who work on horses as well. Any animal with vertebrae can be helped with CranioSacral Therapy. One of my clients offered to write a testimonial about how she thinks CranioSacral helped her dog. I would like to share it with you.

Several years ago, to relief stress and aches and pains, I began having CranioSacral therapy with Jeannette Raskin. As a result I can’t say enough about the modality and how it improves and opens up the energy channels in your body allowing the body to heal itself. 

About a year and half ago, my chocolate brown lab had a cruciate ligament injury to one of his back legs. In taking him to my family vet I quickly learnt this was normal for his breed and also his age. The vet suggested I keep him off the leg as much as possible; not so many walks and would examine it over time. He felt with the age of my dog (9 years) and how active he was, surgery should be the last resort. He also suggested glucosamine, MSM, and Chondroitin and Hyaluronic acid, to help strengthen the knee joint and assist with any arthritis which may appear. So over the course of the fall and winter we were very careful and paid attention to his leg; make sure he was fed the glucosamine with his food. There was a remarkable difference but we had to be very careful. 

This winter with the large amount of snowfall, he managed to hurt it again running through the deep snow in the yard. I took him into my vet to ensure he had some movement,  which  it did, and again my vet advised me to  shorten his walks and to keep  him quiet as much as possible to help the knee heal. Very hard to do with a Lab!  

One day while in visiting Jeannette for my monthly CranioSacral appointment I happened to mention my dog and his injury.  Knowing that CranioSacral therapy would work on animals as much as humans, she agreed to come out and begin some therapy on his leg joint which was injured.

The first treatment was hectic as being a Lab, he needed to know what was happening and why? Jeannette managed to do about a half hour on his knee before he let her know that was enough.

During the session I also sat beside him and held him, ensuring he kept out of Jeannette’s space and allowed her to do her work. Once he settled down, you could see him quieten down every time there was an energy release. I did mention to Jeannette as she left that my legs were tingling from the energy flowing through him to my hands as I held him. We both felt it helped him and I ensured he rested and took it easy for the rest of the day.  Later that afternoon when my girlfriend came out to do a short walk she noticed a remarkable difference in his walk. 

We rescheduled several sessions with the second one being this morning. This time, Oscar came and “nuzzled into” Jeannette allowing her to do her work. As with the first time you could see him quieten when he was feeling releases. At one point, during a large release I actually felt the energy come out of him, go up my arm (as I was holding his shoulder) go through my right side, up through my head. Quite amazing actually! 

Our plans are to continue with the sessions as the more we can remove his stress and strains from his “dog body” the better. The longer we continue it will also allow his body to self-correct and strengthen his resistance to disease and injury. Thank you Jeannette and CranioSacral therapy! 

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

What is Craniosacral Therapy?

I like to describe CranioSacral Therapy as a very gentle, light touch therapy that releases tension deep within the central nervous system, so that every other system in the body can self-correct.

The Central Nervous System is the “command control center” of your entire body. It tells everything else in your body what to do; therefore, when restrictions are released in this system, full body healing can take place more easily.

CranioSacral Therapy is based on the idea that each person’s body contains the necessary information to uncover the underlying cause of any health problem. By using about 5gm of pressure, roughly the weight of a nickel, the CST practitioner evaluates the system by testing for ease of motion and the rhythm of cerebrospinal fluid pulsing within the membranes.  The therapist communicates with the body to obtain this information and help facilitate the person’s own self-healing process and self-regulating capabilities. Specific treatment techniques are then used to release restrictions in sutures, fasciae, membranes and any other tissues that may influence the craniosacral system. The result is an improved internal environment that frees the central nervous system to return to its optimal levels of health and performance.

SomatoEmotional Release is a therapeutic process that expands on the principles of CranioSacral Therapy to help rid the mind and body of the residual effects of trauma. Joint research efforts by Dr. John Upledger and biophysicist Dr. Zvi Karni led to the discovery that the body often retains (rather than dissipates) physical forces. This is often the result of an accident, injury, or emotional trauma. The dysfunctional area is isolated, creating what is called an “energy cyst”. Although a reasonably healthy body can adapt to “energy cysts”, extra energy is required to perform normal bodily functions. As time passes, the adaptive pattern of the body loses its effectiveness. Symptoms begin to appear and, over time, become more difficult to suppress. The SomatoEmotional Release process requires extreme sensitivity on the part of the therapist and trust from the client/patient.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Is CranioSacral Therapy for me?

Do you struggle with pain and stress that won’t go away? Maybe you feel constantly “charged” and can’t relax enough to experience a full night of uninterrupted, restful sleep. Or perhaps you can’t dial down your stress levels or take your mind off of your physical pain and discomfort long enough to incorporate self-care into your daily life. 

Do any of these symptoms feel uncomfortably familiar to you?

-       Head and neck pain

-       Headaches and tmj dysfunction

-       Inability to concentrate

-       Chronic pain

If this is you, please know that you are not alone.  CranioSacral therapy can gently give you relief from physical pain issues and emotional discomfort, allowing you to fully experience your life in a new way.

Jeanette Raskin CST, RMT takes appointments Tuesdays, Wednesday evenings, and Saturdays.

Call 403-347-3261 to book your appointment now.

Breathing

Now that the Christmas season has past and we are getting back to our regular schedules we need to remember something we probably rarely think about. Our breathing.

Breath is essential to life. It is the first thing we do when we are born and the last thing we do when we leave. What we may not realize is that the mind, body, and breath are intimately connected and can influence each other. Our breathing is influenced by our thoughts, and our thoughts and physiology can be influenced by our breath.

There are many benefits to a regular practice of simple deep breathing. Reduced anxiety and depression, lower/stabilized blood pressure, increased energy levels, muscle relaxation, and decreased feelings of stress, to name a few.

Breathing exercises can be as simple as sitting on a chair with our feet on the ground and noticing our breath. Just becoming aware of how we breathe can have an impact on it. We can sit for a few minutes or longer. The body will benefit from any time spend consciously breathing.

So take some time and sit and breath. Your body will thank you for it.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.