Cranial Osteopathy
Cranial Osteopathy: Understanding the Approach, Disorders Addressed, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications
Cranial osteopathy is a specialized form of osteopathic medicine that focuses on the assessment and treatment of dysfunctions within the cranial and facial bones, as well as the associated membranes and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics.
- The Body is a Unit : Osteopathy perceives the body as an integrated whole, with all systems interconnected. Dysfunction in one area can affect the entire body.
- The Body is Self-Healing : Osteopaths believe in the body’s intrinsic capacity for self-regulation and healing. Their role is to facilitate and support this natural process.
- The Body is Self-Healing : Osteopaths believe in the body’s intrinsic capacity for self-regulation and healing. Their role is to facilitate and support this natural process.
- Rational Treatment : Osteopaths employ a patient-centred, evidence-based approach to treatment, customising interventions to the unique needs and circumstances of each individual.
Mechanism of Treatment: Cranial osteopathy techniques focus on promoting mobility and balance within the cranial bones, membranes, and associated structures. Practitioners use gentle palpation and manipulation to assess and address areas of tension, restriction, or asymmetry within the cranial system. Treatment aims to release tension, improve circulation, and enhance cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, facilitating the body’s self-healing mechanisms.
Clinical Applications: Cranial osteopathy is applied in clinical practice to address a wide range of cranial and facial disorders, as well as related symptoms. For example, cranial osteopathy techniques have been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of headaches in patients with tension-type headaches (Cerritelli et al., 2015). Additionally, cranial osteopathy has been used as a complementary therapy for infants with colic, resulting in improvements in symptoms and feeding difficulties (Pizzolorusso et al., 2014).
Cranial osteopathy offers a gentle and holistic approach to addressing cranial and facial disorders, focusing on restoring balance and optimizing function within the cranial system. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action of cranial osteopathy and to evaluate its efficacy across diverse patient populations and conditions.
References:
Cerritelli, F., Ginevri, L., Messi, G., Caprari, E., Di Vincenzo, M., Renzetti, C., … Foschi, N. (2015). Clinical effectiveness of osteopathic treatment in chronic migraine: 3-Armed randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 23(2), 149–156.
Pizzolorusso, G., Cerritelli, F., D’Orazio, M., Cozzolino, V., Turi, P., Renzetti, C., … Tubaldi, L. (2014). Osteopathic evaluation of somatic dysfunction and craniosacral strain pattern among preterm and term newborns. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 18(4), 613–621.