Cranial Osteopathy:
The Healing Touch of Osteopathic Medicine
By Seth D. Torregiani, DO
A body that is injured, in pain, or poorly aligned does not function as well as one that is pain free and structurally sound. This basic physiologic truth is the guiding principle of osteopathic medicine, a unique form of medicine developed towards the end of the 19th century by Andrew Taylor Still, MD, a Missouri frontier doctor.
Disillusioned by the medicine of his day (he lost 3 children to spinal meningitis and viewed the drugs of his day as little more than poisons), Dr. Still believed that the structure of the body governs its function, and that a properly functioning body has a tremendous capacity for self-healing.
He developed a form of manual medicine, called osteopathic manipulative medicine, or OMM, in order to correct imbalances and restrictions in the musculoskeletal system, and maximize the body’s function and self-healing potential.
Cranial osteopathy is a special form of OMM that involves gentle, hands-on treatment to free areas of the body that have become restricted and/or painful. Using subtle pressure on the head, sacrum (tailbone) and other areas of the body, specially trained doctors of osteopathy, or DOs, can palpate and correct areas of restricted motion in the body. The result is improved motion and a return to more normal function, as well as less pain.
Cranial osteopathy can be an effective adjunctive treatment for almost any condition. It is particularly helpful for acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints, as well as many neurologic complaints including headache, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and vertigo (dizziness). It can also improve the symptoms of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia and low back and pelvic pain related to pregnancy.
There are other benefits as well. Cranial osteopathy is deeply relaxing for most patients, and it elicits a feeling of well being in many who experience treatment. Patients also report improved appetite and digestion, better sleep, and less anxiety.
Children respond especially well to cranial osteopathy’s gentle touch. For example, it can be very helpful in treating otitis media (middle ear infections). One study, published in Archives of Adolescent and Pediatric Medicine, demonstrated a decrease in the need for ear tubes and fewer antibiotic days in children treated with osteopathic manipulation and conventional treatment versus children who received conventional treatment alone.
In newborns, cranial osteopathy can ease the transition to life outside
the womb by removing the trauma of birth. As babies pass through the birth
canal (or get pulled out of the womb during a c-section), they experience
subtle strains in the tissues and skeletal system that can cause discomfort,
feeding difficulties and may contribute to colic and other disorders of
early development. Osteopathic treatment shortly after birth often improves
babies’ ability to suck, digest food, and it can improve sleep and
mood.
Cranial osteopathy is very well tolerated and safe for the vast majority
of patients.
Similar forms of this type of therapy, called craniosacral therapy, exist and are practiced by massage therapists and other non-physician practitioners. Only cranial osteopathy is practiced by DOs, who are fully trained and licensed physicians, and can prescribe drugs and perform surgery. Similar to medical doctors, they attend four years of medical school followed by internship and residency.