Many of you have likely had your cranial bones checked while in the office. If I have ever used an activator on your temples or the side of your head near your ears, I am assessing and correcting imbalances in your sphenoid and temporal bones. Sound strange? That's ok, it can seem very unusual if you are not used to it, but cranial adjusting is a very important part of your spinal hygiene and overall health.
The skull is made up of 8 separate bones and where they connect are called fissures, and while they don't behave like other joints in the body, these fissures are supposed to steadily, and subtly move. When they get stuck it can cause issues in Cerebrospinal Fluid flow, or CSF flow. CSF is the fluid that your brain and spinal cord are suspended in inside of your skull and spinal column. This fluid is supposed to pump and flow up the spine, into the skull, all around the brain, and then back down the spine to the sacrum and tail bone. CSF is contained inside the dura mater, which creates a closed system so that nothing harmful can get in, and this precious fluid can't leak out.
CSF is responsible for clearing away toxins in the Central Nervous System, as well as providing nutrition to the brain and spinal cord. Having proper CSF flow is important for brain health and can be disrupted by subluxations, especially in the Upper Cervical area, the Cranials, and the Sacrum. When fissures or joints in these areas of the spine become fixated and misaligned, it stagnates the flow of CSF and can cause toxins to build up as well cause lack of nutrients. When this happens symptoms can include sinus pressure, headaches, dizziness, disorientation, or fatigue. In severe cases of chronically stagnant CSF, people can develop symptoms like those of Multiple Sclerosis.
Cranial adjusting is not only important for adults, but kids, too. Especially babies. The shape of the head is dictated by the position of all the cranial bones. Sometimes infants will develop flat spots on their heads as a result of Upper Cervical subluxation, and cranial imbalances that cause them to favor their heads to one side or the other. Sometimes if these issues are not corrected in infancy, they may grow up with asymmetrical head shape which may even remain into adulthood. It is still possible to correct cranial imbalances in adults, but it is much easier to correct them in children as their skulls have not yet fully ossified. The correction is extremely gentle and specific, for both children and adults.
While the assessment and correction of cranial bone imbalances is very subtle, it is also an extremely important part of overall spinal health and hygiene. The body is a vastly intelligent system, but it can have interferences as a result of regular day-to-day experiences. Think of it like your body and everything in it, are the essential pieces of a beautiful Ferrari. This incredible machine needs to be tuned up and regularly serviced in order to maintain it's optimal function and longevity. Cranial bones, while they may seem small, are an important part of this overall picture.
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