Health

Health is not simply the absence of disease or pain. It is a state of balance and harmony between the body and mind of a person.
In health a person should be able to respond to events such as accidents, infections or emotional stress, deal with these events and restore itself to optimum health afterwards.
The majority of people are not in full health, but are carrying an accumulation of the effects of different traumatic events that have happened to them during their life alongside an everyday build up of stresses and stains.

Cranial Osteopathy

Cranial Osteopathy is a refined and subtle type of Osteopathic treatment that uses very gentle manipulative pressure to encourage the release of stresses throughout the body. It is extremely effective in treating a wide range of conditions in people of all ages, from birth to old age.
Cranial osteopaths are trained to feel a very subtle, rhythmical shape change that is present in all body tissues. This is called the involuntary motion.
The skull is made up of 26 bones which are intricately joined in such a way that during the rhythmical cycle of involuntary motion, the skull can actually change shape very slightly to accommodate the normal involuntary motion of the brain inside.
Most of us have been exposed to physical trauma at some stage in our life. The body may have been able to absorb the effects of an accident at the time, but a lasting strain often remains.
Illnesses and emotional trauma can also leave a lasting physical effect. Gradually the body may find it more and more difficult to compensate with the accumulated stresses, and symptoms may start to show.
Due to the gentle nature of this technique it is excellent for treating babies and young children. The Osteopath may however if appropriate, for adult patients, choose to combine the cranial technique with more structural techniques such as soft tissue massage and articulation, to help to achieve optimum health for the patient.

Cranial Osteopathy for babies and children

Birth is one of the most stressful events of our lives. The baby is subjected to enormous forces, as the uterus pushes to expel the baby against the natural resistance of the birth canal. The baby’s head has the remarkable ability to absorb these stresses in a normal delivery, however during a fast or traumatic delivery, the unmoulding process of the baby’s head is often incomplete and as a result, the baby may have some uncomfortable stresses within its head and body which can present as a variety of problems.

• Crying and irritability
• Feeding difficulties
• Sickness, colic and difficulty winding
• Sleep disturbance

Crying and irritability

Crying, fractious, and a generally unsettled baby that often needs to be rocked to sleep. Also prefers to be held and carried.
Reason
The baby may be uncomfortable, with a constant feeling of pressure in the head. This is made worse by the extra pressure on the head when lying down.

Feeding difficulties

The baby takes a long time to feed and one feed merges into the next. May also be a “windy “ feeder
Reason
Feeding is difficult and tiring due to mechanical stresses through the head, face and throat. The nerves to the tongue may be irritated as they exit from the skull, which makes sucking difficult.

Sickness, colic and wind

Regurgitation of milk between feeds, bouts of prolonged crying and wind. Often worse in the evening, explosive nappies, loud gurgling stomach
Reason
The nerve to the stomach is irritated as it exits from the base of the skull, which impairs digestion. The diaphragm may be stressed or distorted, which further compromises both digestion and the ability of the stomach to retain its contents.

Sleep disturbance

The baby sleeps for only short periods, and may sleep little in the day or night. Wakes to the slightest noise. The body even when asleep does not seem to be able to relax.
Reason
The tension on the bony and membranous casing of the skull keeps the baby’s nervous system in a persistently alert state.

As the Child grows, the effects of the retained moulding, can lead to other problems:

• Infections
• Ear infections
• Sinus and dental problems
• Behavioural problems and learning difficulties
• Headache, aches and pains
• Asthma

Infections

Retained moulding and birth stresses take their toll on the body’s reserves, and also deplete the immune system. This leaves the child more vulnerable to all types of infection.

Ear Infection

Retained birth compression within and around the bones of the ear impedes fluid drainage from the ear, causes poor development of air sinuses in the ear, and partial or complete blocking of the Eustachian tube. This can lead to recurrent ear infections, and loss of hearing.

Sinus and Dental problems

Impaired growth and drainage of the sinuses and bones of the face due to retained moulding can cause constantly blocked or runny noses, and later leads to chance of dental overcrowding.

Behavioural problems and learning difficulties

Continuation of restlessness as a baby. Retained moulding compression makes them uncomfortable in one position for too long, which becomes habit forming. This can be the cause of poor concentration, constant fidgeting, difficulty sitting still, and hyperactivity. Severe compression can modify normal patterns of learning in the brain.

Headache, aches and pains

Retained moulding may focus areas of pressure in the skull, as bony joints of the skull fully form at around the age of 7-8 yrs. Postural tension make other areas of the body more vulnerable to strain and fatigue. This can be the cause of the onset of headaches around the age of 7-8 yrs, growing pains and vulnerability to sprains, or other aches and pains.

Asthma

Retained moulding compression can aggravate a tendency to asthma. General lowered immunity leads to more chest infections. After an infection, the chest remains tense and the ribs do not return to full function, aggravating an asthmatic tendency. Osteopathic treatment to release birth stresses and help improve chest function is often beneficial in reducing the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

What does cranial treatment feel like?

Patients may feel a sensation of pressure or warmth, either under the osteopath’s hands or elsewhere. Most patients feel that gradually the tension is being drawn out of their body and they become deeply relaxed

Could there be any adverse reactions?

Reactions to treatment are variable, often the patient is very relaxed afterwards and sleeps well. Others have a burst of energy after treatment, usually followed by a good nights sleep.
Occasionally children and babies are unsettled after treatment, this is a temporary situation, and is usually caused when the release of the retained moulding has been incomplete. It is not always possible for all the retained moulding compression to release in one session, especially if it has been severe.

When to treat?

The younger the better, it is never too early to treat.

How many treatments will be needed?

On average, 2 to 6 treatments are sufficient. This varies according to the severity of the problem and the age of the child.

Colic

Colic is the term given to a range of infant digestive disorders, not a single condition. It includes several different types of digestive problems:

-Reflux: Is when the valve that shuts off the entrance to the stomach fails to work properly and some of the stomach acid escapes into the oesophagus. This causes pain or a burning sensation, often accompanied by posseting.

-Infant gut irritability: The stomach seems to be emptying too rapidly, causing loud gurgling sounds, pain and explosive flatulence.

-Lactose Intolerance: The baby lacks the ability to produce the enzyme lactase dehydrogenase which is necessary to break down the lactose component of the milk. The milk, therefore, moves through the gut without being digested, and starts to ferment, causing the stomach to distend and producing some discomfort and pain, with a lot of gurgling sounds.

-Allergy: Babies can be allergic to milk or a component of that milk. A cow’s milk allergy is a fairly common occurrence in bottle fed babies. Breast fed babies can react to substances eaten by the mother.

Common signs and symptoms of colic

Signs of colic may start soon after birth, but rarely after the first month.

• Flatulence and the stools are explosively delivered
• The stomach is distended, with associated loud gurgling sounds and pain
• Arching of the back, and bringing knees to chest
• Inconsolable crying
• Restlessness

Research has shown that half of babies affected improve naturally by 3 months, and 9 out of 10 have improved by 6 months.

Each of the different types of colic though has slightly different signs and symptoms. It is therefore helpful to distinguish them in order to provide the correct advice and treatment.

	Reflux	Infant gut Irritability	Lactose intolerance	Allergy
Signs & Symptoms	Pain/burning sensation. Posseting Crying while feeding or within 20 mins of feeding	Rarely accompanied by vomiting. Distended stomach. Loud gurgling stomach and crying starting 30-90 mins after a feed. Explosive nappies	Colic symptoms occur approx 2 hrs after a feed. Explosive nappies	The reaction is soon after a feed. Gut discomfort. Vomiting. Mucous production. Skin reactions
General Treatment	More frequent smaller feeds. Sitting baby more upright, during and after feeds. Infant Gaviscon	Infacol. Gripewater. Colief	Colief.For a breast fed baby, it may help if the mother eliminates all dairy products from her diet	For a breast fed baby the mother should avoid eating those foods that maybe causing the baby to react. For a bottle fed baby there are certain non animal preparations of milk that may be helpful. Skin tests may be performed in special hospitals to determine the nature of the allergy.
Osteopathic treatment	Release distortions in the rib cage and diaphragm to improve the effectiveness of the sphincter of the stomach	To reduce any retained moulding pressure from the birth which could be causing a degree of irritation and over stimulation of the nervous system that manages the internal organs and consequently increases the activity of the gut. Relax the muscles of the gut wall, calming the irritability	It is not possible to directly treat the lactose intolerance with osteopathy, but it does help and babies respond well if we ease stomach congestion and generally calm any functional or structural irritability