How does CST work?



Explaining the CranioSacral System and Rhythm. 

The CranioSacral system is made up of several different parts, all contained within our skull, vertebrae and sacrum (the triangular bone below our lumbar spine).

Lining the inside of our skull/vertebrae/sacrum and the outside of our brain are our meningeal membranes (aka the meninges, or "sub-dural" spaces) which contain cerebrospinal fluid (called CSF). There are small structures (choroid plexus) within our brain that manufacture CSF (filtered from our bloodstream) and pump it into the space between the layers of dural membrane, where it flows down to the sacrum in our vertebral canal.

After reaching the sacrum (the endpoint of this system), it flows back up to the skull, around the brain, where it is reabsorbed into the bloodstream via the arachnoid villi. This ebb and flow of the CSF creates a subtle rhythm that can be felt and measured anywhere in the body (via the nervous system), with the average/ normal rhythm being 6-12 full cycles per minute.

The CranioSacral system functions to protect and nutritionally support the brain and spinal cord or central nervous system (think of CSF as "high grade blood", and a liquid cushion). Wherever there is tension in this system due to trauma or strain, this tension is transferred to the brain or spinal cord resulting in a wide variety of symptoms from headache to sciatic pain, that may include dizziness, back pain, jaw pain and many more symptoms.

During sessions, I place my hands on various parts of my client's body (all therapy is done fully clothed) and use light touch with low-velocity manipulations to release restrictions from connective tissue.

How light is my touch? 5-20 grams of pressure for teens and adults, and 0-5 grams for children and babies. (5g = the weight of a nickel)
This gentle touch bypasses "tissue resistance" (an effect that can arise with higher-velocity manipulations), thus ensuring that there is no soreness following therapy.  Many clients report that stress "melts" easily from their body/being, allowing the stress response to fully disengage, and my client to fully relax. 

The gentle touch of CranioSacral Therapy allows the brain and central nervous system to 'breathe' and function at its optimal level for the body. (see my page about Somato Emotional Release).