Cranial Osteopathy

What is Cranial Osteopathy?

Cranial Osteopathy is a type of treatment used by Osteopaths which involves using very gentle techniques on the body to release strain or tension in the musculoskeletal system. Cranial Osteopathy can be helpful for many conditions and can be very effective for treating babies and small children. Cranial Osteopathy is so named as treatment often mainly involves the head, although other regions are often incorporated into treatment such as the spine and pelvis.

What does Cranial Osteopathy feel like?

Watching Cranial Osteopathy is often described as watching someone read a book, it does not look like much is being done. This is because Cranial Osteopathy is a quiet, subtle way of treating the body. The gentle use of pressure can help to relives strains or areas of physical stress in the body.

How does Cranial Osteopathy work?

Cranial Osteopathy involves the practitioner feeling the small natural changes of movement in the body called involuntary motion. This feels like tiny expansions and contractions of the body. Disturbance to an individual’s involuntary motion can happen through significant trauma (a car accident or a fall), through natural trauma (a difficult birth for example) or can build up over time through repeated trauma.

Most of the time our body can recover from physical trauma, but occasionally lasting subtle stresses and stains can remain in the injured structures. Over time, as the ability of the body to continuously compensate for these strains is exhausted, and symptoms may begin to show.

What is Cranial Osteopathy used to treat?

In adults, Cranial Osteopathy may be used to help treat headaches, facial pain, and stress. In babies, Cranial Osteopathy can be used for helping with the effects of a difficult birth, irritability and feeding problems.

Does Cranial Osteopathy have side effects?

Cranial Osteopathy is regarded as the most gentle of Osteopathic treatments. Most patients feel very relaxed after treatments and can continue their day as normal. Rare side effects could be headache, nausea or tiredness after treatment, which should go 12-24 hour after treatment.

In babies, possible side effects could be hunger, tiredness or a full nappy after treatment. Babies generally find the treatment very soothing and tend to sleep through their appointment.

What training is required to be a Cranial Osteopath?

Having completed her 4 year degree in Osteopathy in 2009, Emily then trained with the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy at post – graduate level to study Cranial Osteopathy.