Craniosacral Therapy: The Effects of Cranial Manipulation on Intracranial Pressure and Cranial Bone Movement

Abstract

Study Design: Quasi-experimental design. Objectives: To determine if physical manipulation of the cranial vault sutures will result in changes of the intracranial pressure (ICP) along with movement at the coronal suture. Background: Craniosacral therapy is used to treat conditions ranging from headache pain to developmental disabilities. However, the biological premise for this technique has been theorized but not substantiated in the literature. Methods: Thirteen adult New Zealand white rabbits (oryctolagus cuniculus) were anesthetized and microplates were attached on either side of the coronal suture. Epidural ICP measurements were made using a NeuroMonitor transducer. Distractive loads of 5, 10, 15, and 20 g (simulating a craniosacral frontal lift technique) were applied sequentially across the coronal suture. Baseline and distraction radiographs and ICP were obtained. One animal underwent additional distractive loads between 100 and 10 000 g. Plate separation was measured using a digital caliper from the radiographs. Two-way analysis of variance was used to assess significant differences in ICP and suture movement. Results: No significant differences were noted between baseline and distraction suture separation (F = 0.045; PϾ.05) and between baseline and distraction ICP (F = 0.279; PϾ.05) at any load. In the single animal that underwent additional distractive forces, movement across the coronal suture was not seen until the 500-g force, which produced 0.30 mm of separation but no corresponding ICP changes. Conclusion: Low loads of force, similar to those used clinically when performing a craniosacral frontal lift technique, resulted in no significant changes in coronal suture movement or ICP in rabbits. These results suggest that a different biological basis for craniosacral therapy should be explored.

Craniosacral therapy: a systematic review of the clinical evidence

“…9,22,23 When these assumptions were put to the test, the results tended to be negative. Downey et al 24 investigated whether CST does, as claimed, lead to changes in intra-cranial pressure and found no such effect. Moran and Gibbons 25 investigated whether the cranial rhythmic changes postulated by CST practitioners are in fact detectable, and found no intra-or inter-examiner reliability of the diagnostic ability of experienced therapists.…”

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Despite claims that practitioners can alter and sense cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow or the Cranial Rhythm Impulse, no movement of boney sutures of alteration of pressure could be demonstrated in a laboratory model 24. or in humans 70 It is possible that perceived therapeutic response might be secondary to another aspect of the therapy such as touch.…”

Effectiveness of Craniosacral Therapy in Cervicogenic Headache

“…Restrictions in the Craniosacral system are manually identified which include the bones, membranes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that surround the brain and spinal cord [16] using soft, gentle hands-on techniques to both normalize the CST fluid rhythm and correct restrictions in peri-spinal tissues and fascia for the treatment and prevention of CGH for which there is limited evidence of safety and efficacy. Manual palpation and manipulation of this system theoretically affects sensory, motor, cognitive and emotional processes in the nervous system [16][17][18]. Several studies report, benefit of CST in various types of headache but these studies have not been done specifically on CGH and also lack proper documentation on how CST is beneficial with respect to the quality-of-life.…”