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Ilkley cranial osteopathy treatment

Osteopath Felicity treating a patient

Cranial osteopathy appointments are available within my Ilkley osteopathic clinic. I'm a registered osteopath and have completed additional training in cranial osteopathy, therefore I have up-to-date knowledge and expertise to ensure you get the most out of your treatment. I also offer appointments at my home-based clinic near Knaresborough, and home visits are available too around the Ilkley and Knaresborough areas – please contact me to learn more. 

What is cranial osteopathy?

Cranial osteopathy 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, I’ll then gently and subtly treat the impacted areas to maximise your body’s ability to self heal. Through cranial osteopathy, 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 help to treat?

There’s a common misconception that cranial osteopathy 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 who may require treatment that is a little less physical. So if you’re looking for a gentler approach to the treatment of your pain, I highly recommend trying cranial osteopathy. If you’re unsure if it’s the right treatment for you, please do get in touch and I’ll discuss whether cranial osteopathy would be an option for you.

What are some of the benefits of cranial osteopathy?

Although there may be little in the way of documented scientific evidence when it comes to the effectiveness of cranial osteopathy, 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.


The Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy (SCCO), where I trained, also published study data in which many patients reported a ‘significant reduction’ in musculoskeletal symptoms after an average of three treatments. The SCCO is also 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 appointment today

If you think cranial osteopathy is the right treatment choice for you, you can book an appointment in Ilkley or Scotton below. If you’d prefer to be treated in the comfort of your own home, please do let me know and I’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 my Ilkley cranial osteopathy appointments via my blog.

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If you’d like to learn more about the treatment of babies in particular, take a look at my 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!

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