How does Craniosacral compliment 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. 

As always, first check with your Healthcare practitioner.

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

CranioSacral Therapy and Caesarean Section

CranioSacral Therapy and Caesarean Section

Ensure your health following a C-section or other birth intervention

Every winter with my children’s’ birthdays I am reminded how my birth plans were changed by things that were not in my control. All my children were born by C-section and have benefited greatly from CranioSacral Therapy.

Caesarean Sections (or C-sections) are becoming more numerous every year among my clients.
You may have planned and hoped for a natural vaginal delivery but what happens if complications arise during birth? These complications during labour may result in your baby being delivered by:

·         Caesarean-section (C-section).

·         With the help of vacuum pump or suction.

·         With the help of forceps.

Interventions such as these, when necessary, often save lives. In my experience with Craniosacral Therapy - it helps to eliminate, or minimise, complications that arise as a result of these types of deliveries.

With CranioSacral Therapy, I work on the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect a person's brain and spinal cord, extending from the bones of the skull (which make up the cranium) down to the tailbone area (or sacrum).

The role of this system in the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord is so vital that an imbalance or dysfunction in it can cause sensory, motor and/or neurological disabilities.

A CranioSacral Therapist uses a touch generally no heavier than the weight of a nickel. Skilled practitioners can monitor this rhythm at key body points to pinpoint the source of an obstruction or stress. Once a source has been determined, they can assist the natural movement of the fluid and related soft tissue to help the body self-correct.

I have noticed that most babies (and moms too!) often need assistance following the effects of a difficult labour. One of the reasons for this is that in the ideal birth situation, nature has designed a baby's skull to be compressed as it travels through the birth canal during a vaginal birth.

Babies born by C-section miss out on this vital compression (which helps balance the cranial bones) through the birth canal. Babies born with the use of forceps or vacuum often experience undue stress on the head and face and strain patterns can often develop in their bodies. The euphoria of your baby's safe arrival can mask the stress that your baby has experienced. But soon problems can arise.

You may notice your baby has problems with:

·         Sleeping.

·         Feeding.

·         Breastfeeding.

·         Excess crying.

·         Constipation and straining while going to the toilet.

·         Flat spots or bulges on the head.

·         Ear infection.

·         Uneven ear or eye positions.

·         Infant colic.

·         Prefers feeding on one of their sides.

·         Prefers lying on one side rather than another.

With Craniosacral Therapy I use specific, gentle touch techniques to assess, resolve and eliminate the restrictions that cause these problems. The light pressure creates deep change - releasing restrictions in the baby's tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This intervention encourages the infant's body toward a natural alignment.

During the treatment the baby often naturally needs to cuddle, feed or cry as balance is restored and emotion is released in the body. Moms and Dads often feel a sense of relaxation as the baby's CranioSacral system returns to optimum function.

I have found that treatment with CranioSacral therapy benefits all babies following birth - but it is highly recommended for babies who have had birth complications - including Caesarean Sections.

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

How Many CranioSacral Therapy Sessions Do I Need?

How Many CranioSacral Therapy 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.

I have found over the years that, in general, the longer the injury or symptoms have been with the person the longer it takes to help them alleviate them. So, a newborn baby with birth trauma; if treated right away, will not take as long to heal as someone suffering from migraines or chronic pain for years. 

But after saying that I can never be sure, I have treated people with years of headaches that have disappeared after three treatments. 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

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is based on the theories of William Sutherland, D.O., and an osteopath from the early 1900s. It was further developed by another osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. He later founded the Upledger Institute, the national center for CranioSacral Therapy.

CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. 

CranioSacral is named for the cerebrospinal fluid that flows up and down the spinal cord from the cranium (head) to the sacrum (tailbone). As it slowly flows, it creates a rhythm throughout your body. The therapist assists this rhythm to self-correct dysfunctions in your body. Where there is a dysfunction, the rhythm is “stuck” and you feel pain, immobility, tension, etc. This can occur anywhere in the body. The cause is usually the result of a recent or past physical or emotional trauma. The therapist uses a very gentle, non-invasive light touch, generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, to locate the “stuck” areas and to assist the return of the healthy rhythm to these areas. As this occurs, there is a deep feeling of relaxation, more freedom of movement, and less pain. It is very quiet and passive. You remain fully clothed for this therapy. This is a very relaxing technique because it works with the fluid that nourishes all the nerves in your spinal cord.
By complementing the body's natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to increase resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including:

• Migraine Headaches 
• Chronic Neck and Back Pain 
• Motor-Coordination Impairments 
• Colic 
• Autism 
• Central Nervous System Disorders 
• Orthopedic Problems 
• Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries 
• Scoliosis 
• Infantile Disorders 
• Learning Disabilities 
• Chronic Fatigue 
• Emotional Difficulties 
• Stress and Tension-Related Problems 
• Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders 
• Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
• Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Post-Surgical Dysfunction

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

What to expect from a CranioSacral therapy treatment?

What to expect from a CranioSacral therapy treatment?

Before the treatment - If this is your first appointment, we will first work through your medical history and your expectations from this CranioSacral Therapy treatment. You will then lie down comfortably - fully-clothed. If it is a child (under 16) or infant, you may be present during the entire treatment.

I will then use a light touch (about the weight of a nickel), beginning at the feet, to assess where restrictions and other related problems are in your body.  Once this is completed, I continue to work through other parts of your body.

During the treatment - Most people feel a general sense of relaxation (in fact many people fall asleep early in the treatment). Some people also feel heat, cold or a stretching of tissues in particular parts of the body.  The treatment generally lasts about an hour for adults and 30 minutes for infants and children.  This can vary depending on the person.

Following the treatment – Some people feel light headed immediately after a treatment. You will normally feel tired after the treatment, but after a short rest and a glass of water, you will be well capable of driving home.

The amount of treatment needed depends on the condition, severity and age of the client.  Some people need as few as one treatment to notice changes.

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

Who is CranioSacral Therapy for?

Who is CranioSacral Therapy for?

People may come for CranioSacral Therapy because they have acute physical problems like headaches or bad backs, or long-standing problems both physical and emotional. Others come for ongoing support in their busy lives and for help to meet life’s challenges.

Because it is so gentle and non-invasive, CranioSacral Therapy is suitable for everyone from newborns to the elderly. Mothers and babies often come for problems associated with difficult or traumatic births. Letting go of tension and fear held in the body enables both to settle into calmness.

CranioSacral Therapy supports your body’s innate ability to balance, restore and heal itself, as well as helping to reduce stress and build your underlying energy. The practitioner senses tensions in the body and helps them to release in a supported and comfortable way. During or after a session you may feel calm and energized, with increased clarity of mind and a feeling of well being.

CranioSacral Therapy and Children

I often hear from parents that they would like for their child to receive CranioSacral therapy but are not sure how that is possible.  Adaptability by the therapist is probably the most important thing when treating children.  There are many ways in which I adapt my techniques to effectively treat children. 

Most importantly the child needs to be comfortable.  Often that is in their parents arms or with them close by.  They can be lying down, in a chair or I have even spent half an hour following toddlers around the room.  Toys, books, etc, are also great distractions that can aid the practitioner in getting effective work done.  When working on children I often shorten the treatment to half an hour.  For most children that provides enough time to get an effective treatment and not to over stimulate the system.

Jeannette Raskin is located at 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness www.family1stchiro.ca   or call 403-347-3261 to book an appointment. 

Family CranioSacral Care

Family CranioSacral Care 

We do whatever we can for our children. To make our children’s lives better we will research, investigate and seek out any and all tools that will help us in that endeavor. CranioSacral therapy is a treatment that can help children and adults in ways no other approaches can.
Even though it has proven to be highly effective, most people have never heard of CranioSacral therapy. The treatment is a gentle, hands-on approach that allows the therapist to assess the integrity and function of the muscles, membranes and fascia, which is the connective tissue that surrounds our muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.
Typically, the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid should move throughout the body with ease. If there is a restriction, the flow is detoured, stopped or reduced. Picture a log falling into a river. At first the water moves around it and if the log is removed the normal flow returns. If the log is not removed, the flow of the river changes and the structures it flows over change too. In time, the detoured water changes the surrounding landscape.
In the human body an initial insult, such as the use of vacuum extraction at birth, getting stuck in the birth canal, a head injury, or a fall, causes a restriction, sort of a “wrinkle” in the body’s fascia. For most of us, our bodies hurt for a while then heal. When an injury doesn’t heal on its own, the body begins to make allowances for it. The accommodations begin in the fascia: just minor tension and pulling as we move. If the restriction remains the muscles are affected, so maybe our posture turns a little to the right, or we shift our weight to the inside of the soles of our feet. As time goes on, the muscles start affecting the bone, causing heel spurs or hip pops. The “landscape” has changed.
Craniosacral therapy stops the changing of the landscape and restores function and balance to the body. It begins with an assessment of the craniosacral system, based on the symmetry, quality, amplitude and rate of the cerebrospinal fluid.
These four characteristics are assessed throughout the body at various locations such as the pelvis, ribs, collarbones, neck, and base of the head. Once the body is assessed then treatment can begin.

Treatment is surprisingly gentle. Only five grams of pressure (about the weight of a nickel) on the affected areas can cause the fascia to release the restrictions. Treatment restores normal function to the body.

Jeannette Raskin, CST, RMT practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer T4R 2C3 www.family1stchiro.ca