Suffering from insomnia and headaches? You should know about "Craniosacral Therapy"

  Author: Raphael Fung, Registered Physiotherapist | Craniosacral Therapy

If you have suffered from insomnia and migraines for years, and are seeking medical attention but are "afraid of pain" or worried that massage therapy might be too forceful, then you might want to try Craniosacral Therapy.

What is "Craniosacral Therapy" (CST)?

In the field of physiotherapy, this is a very unique manual therapy. Unlike general stretching or deep tissue massage, the force we use is extremely gentle—approximately only 5 grams.

What does 5 grams mean?

Imagine the weight of a one-dollar coin placed on the skin. Physiotherapists use this extremely light touch to perform delicate guidance and assessment around the patient's ankles, pelvis, and skull.

Our skull is not a rigid bone, but rather composed of multiple cranial bones. They possess a natural, rhythmic pulsation, which we call the "craniosacral rhythm."

The main contributor to this rhythm is the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF):

• Source: Produced by structures on the meninges

• Path: Circulates, surrounding and protecting our entire central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)

• Function: Responsible for clearing metabolic waste from the nervous system and providing buffering protection

Since the central nervous system controls the operation of the entire body, it can be said that the health of the brain and spine is closely related to the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. When this rhythm is obstructed, the body is prone to anxiety, excessive stress, or persistent headaches.

What does the treatment feel like?

Many patients ask for the first time, "Physiotherapist, are you really putting in any effort?"

My answer is usually: "The best feeling is 'no feeling at all'."

Some patients describe feeling nothing during the treatment. This is because, during this extremely low-pressure treatment, the body's parasympathetic nervous system is activated, leading you into a state of deep relaxation. Most patients, during treatment, unknowingly drift into sleep due to the long-awaited peace of mind and body.

Physiotherapy doesn't always mean "no pain, no gain"! If you are looking for a non-invasive, gentle method that can deeply regulate the nervous system, craniosacral therapy might be a good choice.

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