Cranial osteopathy focuses on the soft tissues, which lie a little deeper in the body. Structures such as visceral ligaments, fascia and cranial membranes all provide support and nutrition to the organs and tissues of the body. Cranial osteopaths are extremely skilled at releasing tensions, which may be the result of trauma (recent or long past), illness, times of emotional distress or surgery.
We can hold patterns of stress and tension in our tissues for a long time. The flow of movement, nutrients and energy become stagnated and this can present in a number of ways:
- Back pain
- Stiff joints
- Digestive disturbance
- Gynaecological problems
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
Fascia is a strong but usually quite thin tissue, which wraps around muscles and communicates the nerves and organs of the body. Imagine the skin between the layers of an onion – this is similar to fascia. Fascial systems can be more related to joint and muscle function or to visceral (organ) function.
Stress, both physical and emotional, and unprocessed emotions, lead to tension in the fascial systems of the body and become felt as discomfort, and sometimes dysfunction. Visceral ligament tension further burdens the muscle and joint system as our movement patterns become altered in response to either pain or immobility in the unseen structures.
The myo(muscle)fascia becomes dysfunctional due to fear, shock, and other negative thinking patterns. Consider how we feel a loss of balance confronting heights or icy surfaces – the tension makes a fall more likely.
If you think there is something which cranial osteopathy can help you with, Angela Power is happy to have a no obligation chat by phone or email, so please do contact us to find out more.