Ilkley cranial osteopathy & craniosacral therapy
Cranial osteopathy/craniosacral therapy appointments are available at our Ilkley osteopathic clinic with our registered osteopath Felicity.
Felicity specialises in treating women and babies, and has completed additional training in cranial osteopathy and craniosacral therapy to ensure you get the most out of your treatment.
What is cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy?
Cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy is a type of osteopathic treatment that uses extremely gentle manipulation to release tension, stress and strains throughout your entire body. Although the name implies that treatment focuses on your head or base of the spine, and whilst this is typically true, cranial osteopathy actually looks at your whole body. The treatment is so gentle, relaxing and soothing that many patients frequently fall asleep during it!
It works by identifying tension, dysfunction, stresses, strains or tissue quality changes (any of which could be a compensation for a traumatic event or injury) through the body’s cranial rhythms. Once identified, your practitioner will then gently and subtly treat the impacted areas to maximise your body’s ability to self heal. Through cranial osteopathy/craniosacral therapy, we can work together to listen to what your body is trying to say, to recognise what is causing your symptoms and to gain a better understanding of your body as an individual in order to reduce the chance of your symptoms flaring up again in the future.
What conditions can cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy help to treat?
Because of its gentle and soothing approach, craniosacral therapy or cranial osteopathy can be really beneficial for babies, especially in those first few weeks after birth as they adjust to life outside the womb. That's because, even in a relatively straightforward birth, the process can be intense and it can cause tension or discomfort in your baby's head, neck and body. This tension can often affect feeding, sleeping and more. Therefore, we like to recommend that parents bring their babies for treatment as early as possible to help support your feeding journey and to ensure your baby is comfortable and content.
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However, there’s a common misconception that cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy is only suitable for babies and children. And whilst it is the preferred type of osteopathic treatment for paediatric patients, it can actually be beneficial for a whole range of ailments across all age ranges, especially the elderly or those who are pregnant and may require treatment that is a little less physical. So if you’re looking for a gentler approach to the treatment of your pain, we highly recommend trying cranial osteopathy. If you’re unsure if it’s the right treatment for you, please do get in touch and we'll discuss whether cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy would be an option for you.
What are some of the benefits of cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy?
Many patients state that they experience a variety of improvements, such as a reduction in headaches and ENT issues, and an improved quality of sleep and general wellbeing. Research has also suggested that craniosacral therapy can help relieve chronic and general pain, lower back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia symptoms and more. Please visit the Craniosacral Therapy Association to learn more.
In addition, the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy (SCCO) published study data in which various patients reported a ‘significant reduction’ in musculoskeletal symptoms after an average of three treatments. The SCCO is currently supporting the Baby Check Bath research project, which is looking at the effects of osteopathy in babies. So far the results are looking promising!
Book your cranial osteopathy/craniosacral therapy appointment today
If you think cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy is the right treatment choice for you, you can book an appointment for our Ilkley clinic below. If you’d prefer to be treated in the comfort of your own home, please do let us know and we'll gladly accommodate this wherever possible.
Further resources
The SCCO has lots of useful information regarding cranial osteopathy and answers some of the most common myths surrounding this type of treatment. You can also find further details regarding our Ilkley cranial osteopathy appointments via our blog.
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If you’d like to learn more about the treatment of babies in particular, take a look at our osteopathy for babies page. There’s also a really useful YouTube video about paediatric cranial osteopathy from osteopath Julieann Gillet – be sure to take a look!