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Index to text below:
Cranial Bio-Dynamics--Introduction
My Training Lineage
Honoring Dr. John E. Upledger—General Comments
Re: Child Developmental Problems
Re: Cranio-Sacral Therapy Dyslexia
Re: Behavior, Headaches
Re: Depression and Anxiety
Re: Effects on Many Nerves
Re: Scars
Other Practitioner Comments
Cranial Bio-Dynamics:
Because this area is new to most people, I invite you to take time to read this information. Then you are invited to read the books and check the internet web sites for further details. I integrate the work of several individuals into my broad view of Cranial, Sacral, and whole-body dynamics; I call it Cranial Bio-Dynamics. My main focus is to support dental health. I support the field of "Biological Dentistry." The work of practitioners and teachers at National Integrated Health Associates [www.nihadc.com] and Capital University of Integrative Medicine [www.cuim.edu] reflect the view I have of a multifactorial approach to healing. Perhaps the key difference in my work compared to that of Upledger-trained craniosacral practitioners is my integrating the work of Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D., and the five-aspects model promoted at NIHA. This includes dental and mercury/heavy metal effects, and also addresses psycho-emotional/consciousness aspects of whole-person health.
The basic discovery that made cranial therapies possible is this: There are rhythms and motions of the bones of the skull., (and, indeed, all the organs). This is caused by the increase and decrease in volume of cerebrospinal fluid. This occurs at a rate of six to 12 times a minute, and probably starts in utero after the closing of the dural tube and the formation of cerebrospinal fluid. Upledger presents possible mechanisms for this, including the "pressurestat" model concerning flow in and flow out of the cranial/dural reservoir. Thom teaches that the brain substance itself may be the origin of motion. I went on to conjecture that this motion is the result of the circadian rhythm/chronobiology, powered by electromagnetic pulls of the sun and the moon.
You are encouraged to read Craniosacral Therapy by John Upledger, D.O. and other books he has written. [See the links on this therapy in the Resources area]. Additionally, the web site of Solihin Thom, D.O. introduces his larger paradigm [www.cranialrhythm.com].
An understanding of Cranial Bio-Dynamics will show a connection between the human body and the electromagnetic energies surrounding the earth and affecting the movements of the tides, the moon, etc. I myself have witnessed a change in the rate and intensity of the cranial bone movement when homeopathic medicines have been brought near to the body. Again, an intriguing piece to a larger puzzle which homeopathy is helping us to understand.
This rhythm may be the explanation for the Reverse Speech phenomenon. For details on this fascinating recent finding, see the Resources section.
A Cranial Bio-Dynamics treatment is a very relaxing and empowering session that helps release your natural healing energies. You will relax on a cushioned table while I gently touch key points on your head, neck, spine and low back. This gives the ligaments and muscles of the body a chance to relax and return to a fuller and more natural range of motion, taking pressure off deeper nerve and brain structures, and enhancing blood flow. Because it is so relaxing, many people have experienced increased energy for mental activities as well as physical, and some have had relief of depression, dyslexia, and more. In the Cranial Bio-Dynamics approach I also include evaluation for past stressful events that can block the body's natural healing responses. Then I help you to "defuse" these and give power back to you so you can continue your healing process.
My Training Lineage:
I took craniosacral therapy training from Michael Lipelt, DDS, N.D. at Bastyr University. He had studied Cranial Osteopathy with Viola Freyman, D.O., and Craniosacral Therapy with John Upledger, D.O. [ref: www.craniosacral.com]. I took Cranial Fluid Dynamics training from Solihin Thom, D.O. [ref: www.cranialrhythm.com]. During training in Clinical Kinesiology and in private sessions I observed Kevin Moreland, D.C. integrating cranial work into his general practice. Perhaps the most important factor in my training was seeing the crucial nature of consciousness and stressful memories upon the Autonomic Nervous System; this I credit to Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D. and my studies with him [Ref: www.neuraltherapy.com]. I now blend Autonomic Response Testing and Applied PsychoNeurobiology into my cranial work.
Dr. John E. Upledger—General Comments:
"Craniosacral(TM) therapy has the potential of providing dramatic help to a significant number of so-called "medical basket cases," "crocks" and others for whom conventional medicine has proved ineffective..."
These gentle, non-invasive techniques have been found to be particularly effective in treating headaches, back pain, TMJ dysfunction, motor coordination, eye problems, dyslexia, autism, endogenous depression, hyperactivity, scoliosis, and other central nervous system dysfunction.
Re: Child Developmental Problems:
A mixed sample of 203 grade school children [were studied]...the probabilities calculated supported the existence of a positive relationship between ... craniosacral motion restriction scores and the classifications of "not normal", "behavioral problems," and "learning disabled."
Re: Cranio-Sacral Therapy and Dyslexia
"My grandson suffers from dyslexia. Can you suggest any natural therapies that might help him?"
Answer from Dr. Upledger*:
Dyslexia is a learning impairment characterized by a person's difficulty expressing, receiving, speaking or writing language. Although people with dyslexia often see the sequence of letters or numbers on the written page out of order, they may have other problems, as well. These encompass identifying words, spelling, expressing thoughts in either written or oral form, and handwriting. The condition usually becomes apparent when a child is unable to develop reading skills at a normal rate. However, dyslexia can take time to diagnose - the symptoms often appear insidiously while the child is in the process of learning to read. It's estimated that 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population may be affected by dyslexia.
In my experience, CranioSacral Therapy is effective in treating dyslexia. It's a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the function of the craniosacral system, which consists of the membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. The craniosacral system extends from the bones of the skull, the face and the mouth (which make up the cranium) down to the sacrum (or tail-bone area).This manual therapy enhances the body's natural healing processes and has been effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.
From the perspective of CranioSacral Therapy, dyslexia is related to a dysfunction in the mobility of the skull bones. We've found that difficulty with reading skills is related to the right side of the cranium, while problems with number reversal appear to be related to the left side.
Symptoms of dyslexia are related to a restriction in the motion of the right temporal bone. When this restriction is corrected, more than half the dyslexic children I've treated have leamed to read normally within a few weeks. This works with adults, too, although they must re-adapt the reading skills they've used to accommodate their dyslexia.
Eye exercises may also be helpful for dyslexia because they appear to send neurologic messages into areas of the brain that may help its cognitive function. A good resource for ocular exercises is Self-Healing: My Life and Vision (Penguin Group) by Meir Schneider.
*John E. Upleddger, D.O., O.M.M., osteopathic physician and author of Your Inner Physician and You: CranioSacral Therapy and SomatoEmotional Release (North Atlantic Books)
Re: Behavior, Headaches: Compression of the condylar parts is often accompanied by cranial base and lumbosacral compression. Based upon the observations of numerous practitioners...this problem is causally related to "hyperkinetic" behavior in children, to severe [headache] in adults and to various respiratory distress syndromes in infants and newborns....
Re: Depression and Anxiety: We have yet to examine a case of depression, be it endogenous or reactive, that has not shown severe anterior-posterior compression of the cranial base. Further, we have yet to see the first case, which has not responded favorably and usually dramatically to successful de- compression of the cranial base.
It does not seem to matter whether the depression is secondary to the death of a loved one or is "postpartum blues." The decompression technique gives dramatic relief. We wonder if perhaps the obstetrical delivery process might not result in lumbosacral compression, which migrates to the cranial base and causes depression....
Anxiety is the other area in which we have had a major success. Restrictions will have a tendency to recur. Treat them again and over a period of weeks, the anxiety level seems to dissipate.
Re: Effects on Many Nerves: Through the jugular foramena pass the jugular [veins]...also the 9th, 10th and 11th cranial nerves... Dysfunction of these nerves can result in gag reflex problems, taste abnormalities of the posterior third of the tongue, problems with speech and swallowing, cardiac arrhythmias, digestive and elimination problems relating to vagal control of stomach and lower bowel...
Re: Scars: We believe that scars which significantly contribute to craniosacral system dysfunction are most easily found by the blind evaluation of craniosacral motion, both within the craniosacral system and as it is reflected throughout the total body fascia....
Other Practitioner Comments:
William Wittmann, L.M.T.:
Acute infections respond exceedingly well to one of the most basic of the cranial techniques--the CV-4 technique.
Usually the balancing of tissue tension will cause the affected part to move back chronologically through the position of injury. When this position is achieved all craniosacral motion will [temporarily] stop. As the energy pattern of the injury dissipates, the tissue will release and soften. In addition, the CV-4 technique will lower the incidence of swelling.
Jon Vredevoogd, M.F.A.:
Nature makes the best designs. Every design in nature is for a purpose and is the most efficient way to accomplish a task. We should study the way nature does things and try to emulate it, rather than clumsily and egotistically trying to invent our own. We cannot improve on natural design; we need only understand it.
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