Do you or a loved one live with the pain of arthritis? If so, you're not alone?-over 54 million other people in the U.S. suffer with you. But there is hope. Craniosacral therapy can be an effective therapy for reducing and managing arthritis symptoms including pain.

You may be wondering how craniosacral therapy works for arthritis, how many sessions are recommended, and what it?s going to cost. We're going to answer those questions and more. So let's get started...

Causes of Arthritis

It's important to first understand the causes of arthritis as it relates to pain and function. One of the leading causes of arthritis is from joints being subjected to trauma. This may be a result of an accident or microtrauma caused by poor posture or repetitive movements.

Trauma brings about inflammation, which scars the tissue. Scar tissue may restrict the flow of blood to the joints. Because the blood transports nutrients to the joints and eliminates toxins, lack of blood flow diminishes the body's innate healing ability, contributing to arthritic change and bringing about faster aging.

Toxins come from the pollution around us. We are exposed to many chemical compounds that alter human metabolism. They are present in our food through agrochemicals as well as in our building materials used for our homes and furniture. Accumulation of these toxins can trigger arthritis, skin complaints, allergies, or even more severe illness.

Want to know more about arthritis and other natural therapies that can help? Read Heal.me's article: What is Arthritis?

Now that we've covered the causes of arthritis, we can understand that increasing the amount of blood supplied to the joints reduces arthritis symptoms and encourages regeneration. And that's just what craniosacral therapy does.

Here's how...

How Craniosacral Works for Arthritis

Craniosacral therapy utilizes advanced soft tissue techniques which involve the identification and treatments of trigger points in the affected joints. The therapist also uses a neuromuscular technique to perform a deep massage to significantly reduce pain and disability.

5 Craniosacral Techniques Used for Arthritis

Here are five craniosacral techniques that are often used for arthritis:

  1. Lymph drainage technique. This technique eliminates toxins from the offending area

  2. Single positional release. This technique tackles the tensions caused by tissue memory.

  3. Trigger point therapy. This technique releases myofascial knots in soft tissues, which benefits the structural organization of myofascial chains. Areas such as limbs and the spine benefit the most from this procedure.

  4. Neuromuscular technique. This technique reinvigorates the pain reflex and the local blood and lymph supply which might have been performing sub-optimally.

  5. Positional release techniques. This technique helps the body to let go of tissue memory, this also helps with emotional release too. The lymphatic system gets a boost. It drains the system of extracellular fluid, cleanses the blood, and boosts immunity before blood is released back for circulation.

How Many Sessions Are Recommended?

While you may experience benefits after one session, the average number of craniosacral therapy sessions for most health conditions is three to ten. Because each person is unique, your therapist will help you determine the number of sessions needed.

You may also find it beneficial to go in for maintenance sessions on a monthly basis after completing your initial treatment sessions. Be sure to communicate with your craniosacral therapy practitioner about the number of recommended sessions to best meet your individual health and wellness needs.

Arthritis Case Study

According to an Upledger Institute Case Study, a total of six sessions, each lasting for 75 minutes was applied for a 58 years old woman diagnosed with arthritis in her left hip and knee.

The study reported she had a better movement of her leg after her sessions and a reduction in headache intensity. The most notable accomplishment is the connection the client had with her emotions. And the fact that she felt better in her leg overall.

What Will Craniosacral Therapy for Arthritis Cost?

The average price per session in the United States is $70-$170. So you might expect to pay $700 on the low end and up to $1,700 on the high end for three to ten sessions. For more detailed information on the cost of treatment, read: How Much Does Craniosacral Therapy Cost?

References

InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Rheumatoid arthritis: Overview. 2013 Oct 23 [Updated 2016 Aug 11]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384455/

Bliddal, H., Leeds, A. R., & Christensen, R. (2014). Osteoarthritis, obesity and weight loss: evidence, hypotheses, and horizons - a scoping review. Obesity reviews: an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 15(7), 578-586. doi:10.1111/obr.12173. Retrieved April 28, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4238740/

Senthelal S, Thomas MA. Arthritis. Retrieved April 28, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518992/

Poudel P, Lappin SL. Inflammatory Arthritis. Retrieved April 28, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507704/

Case study #5 - iahe.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2019, from https://www.iahe.com/docs/articles/craniosacral-therapy---reflux-ptsd.pdf