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If you have heard of craniosacral therapy or cranial osteopathy, you may be wondering what these treatments actually involve.
Are they the same thing? Is cranial osteopathy part of osteopathy? What happens during a treatment? And what can craniosacral therapy help with?
Craniosacral therapy is a hands-on approach that uses light touch to work with areas mainly around the head, spine and sacrum, while considering how the body functions as a connected system.
Cranial osteopathy is a term commonly used when an osteopath incorporates cranial approaches into their osteopathic assessment and treatment.
At Boroondara Osteopathy in Balwyn North, cranial and craniosacral approaches form part of our broader osteopathic care. Treatment is adapted to the individual rather than following a set routine.
Craniosacral therapy is a hands-on approach that uses light touch around the head, spine and sacrum.
The name comes from two areas of the body:
Cranial, referring to the skull and head
Sacral, referring to the sacrum at the base of the spine
A practitioner may use their hands to assess areas of tension or restriction and apply very light contact.
The approach is based on the idea that different parts of the body influence each other.
Treatment may involve contact around the head, neck, spine, pelvis or sacrum.
The experience is usually very different from a traditional massage or stronger joint treatment.
Cranial osteopathy is an approach used by some osteopaths that incorporates gentle, light-touch techniques involving the head and the rest of the body.
An osteopath who uses cranial approaches has their underlying university training in osteopathy.
They may then undertake additional education in cranial or craniosacral approaches.
Cranial osteopathy does not mean that the osteopath only works on the skull.
An osteopathic assessment may consider the whole body, including the spine, pelvis, muscles, joints and movement patterns.
The head and jaw can also be considered as part of this broader assessment.
Not exactly. The terms are often used in similar conversations, but they can describe different approaches and practitioners.
Craniosacral therapy is a broader term that may be used by practitioners from different healthcare backgrounds.
Cranial osteopathy refers specifically to an osteopathic approach incorporating cranial techniques.
This distinction is useful when choosing a practitioner.
If you are seeing an osteopath for cranial treatment, you are seeing a registered osteopath who has completed the required osteopathic education and registration process.
Additional training in cranial or craniosacral approaches may also form part of their professional development.
Craniosacral therapy uses hands-on contact to assess and influence areas of tension and movement throughout the body.
The practitioner may place their hands around the head, neck, spine or pelvis.
The treatment is usually performed with very light pressure.
Rather than repeatedly moving a joint through a large range, the practitioner may stay with an area and observe how the tissues respond.
The treatment can feel subtle.
Some people describe feeling a sense of relaxation, warmth, heaviness or movement during treatment. Other people notice very little during the session but feel different afterwards.
Everyone’s experience can be different.
No. Craniosacral therapy does not require spinal cracking or high-velocity manipulation.
The techniques used are generally based on light contact and small movements.
This makes cranial and craniosacral approaches quite different from some forms of manual treatment where joints are deliberately moved quickly.
An osteopath may still use other osteopathic techniques during an appointment if they are appropriate for the person and the problem being treated.
However, cranial treatment itself does not require manipulation.
Yes. Cranial osteopathy can be used as part of an osteopathic approach.
Australian osteopaths complete university education in osteopathy before registering to practise.
Some osteopaths then undertake additional training in areas such as cranial osteopathy, craniosacral therapy or other approaches to manual care.
This means cranial osteopathy is not a separate Australian registered health profession.
It is an approach that may be incorporated into osteopathic practice.
A craniosacral treatment usually begins with a conversation about what has brought you in.
Your practitioner may ask about:
Your current symptoms
Previous injuries
Your general health
Headaches or neck symptoms
Jaw or facial tension
Stress and physical tension
Sleep
Movement
Previous treatment
An osteopath may then assess your body using movement and hands-on examination.
Treatment may involve you lying comfortably on your back, side or stomach.
Your practitioner may place their hands around areas such as the head, neck, spine, pelvis or sacrum.
The contact is usually light.
There is no need to force movement or push through pain.
Craniosacral treatment can feel very subtle.
Some people notice a feeling of relaxation during treatment.
Others describe sensations such as warmth, heaviness, lightness, pulsing or a feeling of movement.
Some people simply feel that their body has become quieter.
There is no particular sensation that you need to experience for treatment to be useful.
The experience can vary from one person to another and from one appointment to the next.
Some people choose craniosacral therapy as part of their approach to managing physical tension and stress.
Stress can influence muscle tension, breathing, sleep, jaw clenching and the way we hold our body.
For some people, treatment provides time away from constant movement and activity.
The quiet nature of a craniosacral session may also make it easier to notice physical sensations and tension.
Craniosacral therapy should not be presented as a treatment for anxiety or other mental health conditions.
If you are experiencing significant anxiety, depression or another mental health concern, your GP or an appropriately qualified mental health professional can provide assessment and support.
Craniosacral therapy may be considered as part of an osteopathic approach for some people with headaches.
Headaches can have many different causes.
An osteopath may assess the neck, upper back, jaw, shoulders and other areas that may be contributing to muscular tension or altered movement.
Cranial approaches may be incorporated into this assessment and treatment.
However, not every headache is appropriate for osteopathic care.
A new, severe or unusual headache may require medical assessment.
Your osteopath can discuss whether osteopathic treatment is appropriate or whether you should see your GP or another healthcare professional.
Cranial osteopathy may be incorporated into treatment for some people experiencing jaw tension or TMJ-related symptoms.
The jaw does not work in isolation.
Your osteopath may assess the jaw alongside the neck, upper back, shoulders and head.
They may also look at how you move your jaw and whether you clench your teeth or experience muscle tension around the face.
Treatment may include work around the jaw, neck and head.
For ongoing or complex jaw problems, your osteopath may also recommend working with your dentist, GP or other appropriate health professional.
Some parents seek craniosacral or cranial osteopathic care for babies, particularly when they have concerns about feeding, head movement, settling or physical tension.
Babies require a different approach from adults.
Any treatment should take into account the baby’s age, development, medical history and individual presentation.
An osteopath should also consider whether the baby needs assessment by another healthcare professional.
For concerns involving feeding, weight gain, breathing, vomiting, fever or development, medical assessment may be important.
Cranial treatment should complement appropriate medical and allied health care rather than replace it.
Pregnancy and birth can place significant physical demands on the body.
After birth, parents may experience:
Back and pelvic discomfort
Neck and shoulder tension
Headaches
Jaw tension
Rib discomfort
Changes in posture
General physical fatigue
An osteopath can assess these problems and may incorporate cranial or craniosacral techniques into treatment.
Treatment can be adapted to your stage of recovery and the demands of caring for a baby.
No. Despite the name, craniosacral treatment is not limited to the skull.
The craniosacral approach considers a relationship between the head, spine and sacrum.
An osteopath may also assess other areas of the body.
For example, someone experiencing neck tension may also have changes in their upper back, ribs or shoulder movement.
Someone with jaw tension may have associated neck and upper body tension.
The assessment helps determine which areas are relevant to the individual person.
No.
Craniosacral therapy and massage use different approaches.
Massage generally involves working directly with soft tissues using techniques such as stroking, kneading or pressure.
Craniosacral treatment generally involves much lighter contact.
The practitioner may remain in one position for a period of time rather than repeatedly massaging the tissues.
Cranial osteopathy also involves osteopathic assessment and clinical reasoning.
This means an osteopath may use cranial techniques alongside other osteopathic approaches when appropriate.
Research into craniosacral therapy is ongoing, and the evidence varies depending on the condition being studied.
It is important not to make claims that craniosacral therapy can treat every health condition.
At Boroondara Osteopathy, we use cranial and craniosacral approaches as part of an individual osteopathic treatment plan.
We focus on the person’s symptoms, physical assessment and goals rather than promising a particular outcome.
If your symptoms require medical investigation or another form of healthcare, we can also recommend that you see the appropriate practitioner.
Cranial osteopathy is not a separate registered profession in Australia.
Osteopathy is the registered health profession.
An osteopath who uses cranial osteopathic techniques must be registered with the Osteopathy Board of Australia.
Some osteopaths undertake additional courses in cranial osteopathy or craniosacral approaches after completing their university osteopathy education.
When choosing a practitioner, you can ask about their osteopathic qualification, registration and additional training.
Craniosacral therapy can be offered by practitioners from different professional backgrounds, depending on their training and the services they provide.
The term itself does not mean that the practitioner is an osteopath.
If you specifically want cranial osteopathy, look for a registered Australian osteopath who has additional training in cranial approaches.
You can check an osteopath’s registration through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
No single treatment approach is suitable for everyone.
Your osteopath should consider your symptoms, medical history, previous injuries and individual circumstances before deciding whether cranial treatment is appropriate.
Sometimes another form of osteopathic treatment may be more appropriate.
Sometimes your symptoms may require assessment by your GP or another healthcare professional instead.
A good consultation starts with understanding what is happening rather than assuming that one treatment approach will suit every person.
Cranial osteopathy places more emphasis on light-touch techniques involving the head, spine and sacrum, while osteopathy as a whole includes a much broader range of assessment and treatment approaches.
Traditional osteopathic treatment may include techniques involving muscles, joints, fascia and movement.
Cranial osteopathy uses a more subtle style of hands-on treatment.
An osteopath may use either approach, or combine different techniques depending on what they find during an assessment.
The important point is that cranial osteopathy is one approach within osteopathic practice rather than a replacement for the broader assessment.
People may consider craniosacral therapy when they are looking for a hands-on approach that uses light contact and does not involve forceful manipulation.
It may be incorporated into osteopathic care for people experiencing problems such as:
Headaches
Neck tension
Jaw and TMJ discomfort
Physical tension associated with stress
Back and pelvic discomfort
Postural and movement-related problems
General muscle and joint tension
Your osteopath will assess whether this approach is appropriate for your individual presentation.
At Boroondara Osteopathy in Balwyn North, cranial and craniosacral approaches are incorporated into osteopathic care when they are appropriate for the person.
Our approach is not about applying the same treatment to everyone.
We take time to understand your symptoms, your history and how your body is moving.
Sometimes that means using hands-on treatment around the head and neck.
Sometimes it means looking further down the body to understand how different areas are interacting.
And sometimes a different treatment approach or referral to another healthcare professional is the better option.
If you have been curious about craniosacral therapy or cranial osteopathy and would like to know whether it may be appropriate for you, contact Boroondara Osteopathy in Balwyn North to arrange an appointment.
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