People search for “cranial osteopath” more often than you might expect, usually because they have heard it helps headaches, jaw problems or unsettled babies. It is worth explaining what it is, because the term covers a specific set of techniques that not every osteopath uses, and it is often confused with head, neck and jaw osteopathy more broadly.
What cranial osteopathy is
Cranial osteopathy is a very gentle, hands-on approach in which the osteopath uses light pressure on the head, face and neck. It was developed within osteopathy in the early twentieth century and is based on the idea that subtle movement in the tissues of the head can be felt and influenced. Sessions are quiet and the touch is light; many people describe it as relaxing.
What the evidence says
The evidence for cranial osteopathy as a specific technique is limited, and the underlying theory is contested within the profession. Some people report benefit; good-quality studies are few. It is fair to say that the gentle handling is unlikely to do harm, and that claims of specific effects should be treated cautiously. Any osteopath making strong promises about what cranial techniques will achieve is overstating what is known.
How this practice approaches the head and neck
North Coast Head Neck & Jaw Centre treats headaches, jaw pain, neck pain, dizziness and concussion, but that is not the same as cranial osteopathy. Our approach is built on assessment: examining the joints of the upper neck, the muscles beneath the skull and around the jaw, the jaw joint itself and the balance system, and identifying what is contributing to the problem. Treatment follows from that assessment and is aimed at the specific structures involved.
Some of the techniques we use are gentle and some are firmer, depending on the person and the problem. Where gentle work around the head is appropriate, we use it, but we do not present it as a treatment in its own right, and we do not treat babies or infants.
If you were searching for a cranial osteopath
If your reason was a headache, jaw pain, neck pain or dizziness, a detailed assessment of those areas is likely to be more useful than a specific technique, and that is what we do. If your reason was an infant or a condition outside the head, neck and jaw, we are not the right practice and would suggest a general osteopath.
Our osteopaths in Ballina and Lismore
You can see our osteopath in Ballina or our osteopath in Lismore. Read more about how we approach headaches and jaw pain.