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Craniosacral therapy for Migraines and headaches
- Niyati Nath
- Jan 25
- 3 min read
As more people today seek non-pharmacological solutions for chronic pain, Craniosacral Therapy has emerged as a transformative approach to headache relief. Studies indicate that over 50% of patients who suffer from headaches try complementary and alternative medicine like Craniosacral therapy for relief, as pain-killers rarely do the job. While conventional medicine focuses on suppressing symptoms, this gentle, hands-on therapy targets the structural and neurological roots of the head pain. Using a light still touch, Craniosacral therapists release tightness and restrictions in the membranous and bony structures within the cranium, bringing relief from pain and anxiety and helping to reset your nervous system.
Recent research studies and patient testimonials highlight its ability to not only reduce the frequency and intensity of attacks, but also to down-regulate the body’s stress response, which is often a contributory factor.
How does Craniosacral therapy bring relief from headaches?
· Migraines – Reduces frequency and intensity of headaches and works with underlying factors. Craniosacral therapy helps to balance neurotransmitter levels and down-regulate pain pathways, to alleviate chronic pain conditions like migraines. We have a separate blog post on the mechanism by which Craniosacral therapy alleviates chronic pain conditions.
· Tension headaches – Craniosacral therapy reduces anxiety and chronic stress, which is often the underlying cause
· Cervicogenic headaches in the head and neck area occur due to misalignment of head and neck structures or bad posture. Craniosacral therapy works to ease tightness and restrictions in soft tissue and to alleviate compression in bony areas.
· Headaches due to injuries such as whiplash or concussion – these are neurological injuries caused by physical trauma. Craniosacral helps to rehabilitate the injured tissue and hasten recovery. It calms the nervous system and helps it to regulate, reducing the accompanying unpleasant symptoms such as blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, tinnitus and PTSD.
· Headaches caused by congestion and blocked sinuses – Craniosacral therapy can help to drain blocked sinuses
· Headaches caused by hormonal imbalance – Craniosacral therapy helps the neuroendocrine system to better regulate the secretion and release of hormones in the body
· Headaches caused by nerve pain like trigeminal neuralgia – Craniosacral therapy works with all kinds of tissue including bones and fascia. A bony cranial compression can impinge on a nerve, causing trigeminal neuralgia and Craniosacral therapy can help manage the pain by working with the compression.
· Post-herpetic neuralgia – It has a track record for alleviating post-herpetic neuralgia in the face.
· Referred pain caused by bruxism or TMJ issues – Craniosacral therapy reduces tightness within the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the masseter muscle and stiffness and clicking of the temporomandibular joint
Craniosacral therapy for headaches has been endorsed by celebrities such as supermodel Gisele Bundchen, NFL football stars like Ricky Williams, Marcus Koch and George Visger. Brooke Shields received Craniosacral therapy for her TMJ issues and associated headaches.
George Visger said: “As a consequence of my playing football, I had been suffering from constant headaches, major neck and back pain from fractured vertebrae, short-term memory issues, tinnitus and a frozen shoulder scheduled for surgery. My headaches and tinnitus subsided by the second day of treatment, my neck and back pain is nearly gone, and I have full range of motion in my shoulder. I’ve cancelled my surgery and continue to receive Craniosacral therapy on a maintenance schedule”.
Craniosacral therapy is recommended to treat headaches by the Cleveland Clinic, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre for Integrative Medicine, the Association of Migraine Disorders, by CIM advocates at UNC Chapel Hill and by a number of physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
Read our client testimonials by a patient suffering from migraines (under the head “Chronic Pain”) and a patient who had a head injury pursuant to a physical attack and came for help with vertigo and PTSD-like symptoms (under the head “Trauma”)
Watch NFL footballers Ricky Williams, George Visger and Marcus Koch speak about how Craniosacral therapy helped them with their concussions and sports injuries in our Instagram videos - scan the following QR codes to watch
Here are extracts of research studies on the efficacy of Craniosacral therapy as a treatment for Migraines.
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