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.

Children and Healthy Spines

Children and Chiropractic care
By: Dr. Joelle Johnson
 

Acute Conditions

Acute conditions may result from birth trauma, sports mishaps and accidental injury. Chiropractic care benefits children by correcting the spinal alignment to improve their overall health. When vertebral joints are misaligned during birth or from a blow or fall, muscle tissue and nerves may also be affected. Spinal adjustment frees joints, restores motion and relieves nerve pressure, which may be the cause of additional ailments. Parents report successful treatment of children's health issues such as acute earache, upper respiratory infection, muscle pain, neck pain and accident trauma. Spinal manipulation for children as young as newborn babies is an alternative treatment for the discomfort of colic and other digestive disorders as well.
 

Chronic Conditions

Parents surveyed by the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) reported behavioral improvement for kids who saw a chiropractor, as well as improved sleep and stronger immune systems. Although scientific evidence in these areas is still inconclusive, the growing number of those seeking children's health care from chiropractors (up 8.5% since 1991, according to the American Chiropractic Association) is a positive endorsement of its benefits. Chiropractic America reports that natural, drug-free chiropractic care is sometimes more effective than traditional medical approaches for chronic earache, scoliosis and neck pain. Headaches and sleep disorders of nonspecific causes respond well to spinal adjustments, which affect and repair interrupted neural pathways. Asthma and allergy symptoms and patterns of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also be treatable with chiropractic.
 

Prevention

Success in these areas has implications for chiropractic care's preventive capacity. Periodic ongoing adjustments at a young age may help stave off the above ailments before they begin. Proper spinal alignment now may delay or prevent degenerative bone or joint disease, such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. In addition to maintaining children's health, regular visits to the chiropractor also instill the value of proactive health care in kids. They'll be more likely to monitor and manage their health as they grow up and less likely to be afraid or in denial of any health problems. Encouraging good lifelong health habits is one of chiropractic's best benefits for kids.
 

Dr. Joelle Johnson. To book an appointment with one of our chiropractors, call us at 403-347-3261. Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca.