Dr. Upledger took a class in Cranial Osteopathy but was not pleased with the lack of clinical reasearch in this field. So he started a research project during which he turned Cranial Osteopathy "inside out", he concluded that the body's connective tissue (fascia) was primary in most cases of cranial lesions (rather than the bones and sutures as Cranial Osteopathy taught), and that treating the fascia throughout the body was necessary in order to maintain Cranial Osteopathic corrections.
It was during this research that the term CranioSacral Therapy was developed. There was such fundamental difference of approach than to the work of Dr. Sutherland that it was not right to call it Cranial Osteopathy. This term, craniosacral derives from from the bones of the Cranium and Sacrum, it is to those bones that the Dura Mater membrane which surrounds the Central Nervous system is attached. This membrane along with its bony attachments, the cerebrospinal fluid and the intra cranial membranes form the craniosacral system.
Within this system there is the rythmic movement that Dr. Upledger observed during the surgery. The movement is thought to be caused by production and reabsorbtion of the cerebrospinal fluid. It is known as the craniosacral rythm and it´s rate is between 6-12 beats per minute in a healthy adult. The craniosacral system is a core system in the body that can affect and is affected by other systems such as the endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular and the viscera. It is due to these connections that the list of symptoms and medical conditions that can improve with CranioSacral Therapy is almost limitless.
For the craniosacral system to function well the bones that the membranes attach to need to be in the right place. If there is a misalignment of the cranial bones or the sacrum does not sit right in the pelvis then tension will be introduced into the system and all kinds of pathologies can result. Likevise, tension in the membranes can adversely affect the bones. CranioSacral Therapy is used to facilitate correction and ease the tension in this system.
But there is more to CranioSacral Therapy than working on the craniosacral system.
A pathological condition in any bodily system can disrupt the craniosacral system. Example: Inflammation of an abdominal organ can lead to tightening of abdominal fascia, which will not only affect the neighbouring organs but it can affect the Dura Mater membrane of the spine. Tension in that membrane can lead to irritation of spinal nerves that can lead to chronic pain syndrome, this tension can also be transmitted up the spine and into the cranial membranes and thereby possibly irritating the Vagus nerve which plays a key role in the functioning of the abdominal organs. So a cycle of tension has been created that is affecting the functions of the abdominal organs, a cycle that will not be properly broken unless and until the fascia and the membranes have been treated properly.
Traumatic events can also affect the fascia. External impact such as falls, blows and accidents will have their affect on the fascia, and if there is a strong emotional element during time of impact the body may not be able to process the chemicals of the emotion at the time and the emotion may become "locked" in the tissue and keep it in a state of dysfunction.
The method that Dr. Upledger developed in order to facilitate release of such emotional tension patterns in the tissue is called SomatoEmotional Release®. It is an integral part of CranioSacral Therapy and very often holds the key to resolving a physical illness.
In SomatoEmotional Release® various effective tools of pshycology are used along with the physical work and together they form a powerful and safe framework for change to occur.
