Involuntary mechanism study - Cranial.
Three pretty intense days of six hours of cranial each. Nirvana or Headache?
Log.
Wed 19 Feb
The introduction was mainly based on getting back into feeling the involuntary mechanism. Also, an extensive theoretical introduction into history and theory of the approach was provided. I found that putting yourself into al,most something of a meditational state helps a lot to pick up those subtle rhythms of the body. And I think that I never knew what mental imagery was until I saw those pictures developing in my head of waves and shapes expanding and contracting. I guess once you experienced that yourself it is hard to doubt the plausibility of the involuntary mechanism. What its actual therapeutic role may be, is, of course, a different matter. I enjoyed this first session, especially due to the enthusiasm demonstrated by the teachers but also my peers. Wed 05 March We are expanding upon what we learned last weak, trying to feel the patterns of ease at the sphenobasilar junction. Examination and treatment ease into each other effortlessly and I still find it unbelievable how so much can be going on, whilst, seemingly, there's just somebody sitting there with his hands very calmly on the head of another person. During the interval between those two sessions I have actually taken some time in clinic to try and feel the cranial mechanism on patients. For one, I found it surprising how little patients question what you are doing when you just stay 'I just wanna try something...'. But also, I found the variability between each and every rhythm quite surprising. It must take a very long time to make sense of those patterns and much patience in sitting still! Wed 19 March The last session. Unfortunately, at the BSO this is all you get. Massive let-down, since all over Europe cranial is simply an integral part of osteopathic practice. Whether you like it or not. Having said that, the teaching provided by the guys from the Sutherland college is really good and they managed to convey a lot of essential information in those three sessions. The last session aimed to fortify the things learned previously and I think, in general we have a pretty good toolbox at our hands now that we can use to experiment with. Here are some exemplary copies of patient files, where I treated them cranially. |
clinical experience.
I have tried it in clinic. Here is my reflective account.
Example 1: - 30-ish lady who presented very acutely for my CCA - LBP with ispilateral proximal in distal muscle spams and pain, also headaches. - Dx: L/S annular strain, multitude of predisposing factors, yellow and black flags, very low job satisfaction, stressed. - rapid pain relief from local TTT - attempted cranial techniques at the end of the second session (CV4 release, BMT etc.) Pt response: very positive both immediately after and the week after the TTT. Felt 'something very powerful was happening'. No further headaches, subjectively less agitated and more at ease. Pt very grateful. Continued to treat with both structural and cranial techniques (at about 50:50), and discharged Pt after 4 sessions, pain-free. Example 2: - male, 30 yoa., chronic hamstring irritation from poorly-resolved tear. keen to join the army and thus to take up endurance Ex again. - treated 3-4 times structurally, incl HVLA. - pain difficult to elicit and benchmarking nearly impossible as only running would aggravate the symptoms, which we recommended he refrain from until TTT no. 4 - took up cranial TTT after three sessions, when I felt that my previous TTT did not make any difference (about 10 mins pper session) - Pt continued to come in for three more sessions without reporting any change, lost sight of him during Easter holidays Analysis: The first thing I realised is that there are patients that will be amenable to cranial therapy, and others that will be almost insusceptible. Without wanting to classify patients excessively, one has to develop a feel for when this approach may be useful and when it might even harm your patient-practitioner relationship. There simply are some people that won't grant you those first five minutes and a little bit of an open mind which allows them to feel that something is happening. And then you probably don't stand much of a chance. And then, maybe feeling just something is not enough for them either. On the other hand, patient presentations were anxiety, mental stress (and all its physical manifestations) are predominant, this approach may well be a door into the presentation. One may argue that at least you calm them down by holding their head. True, but limiting the effects of cranial techniques to this will never do justice to what the practitioner can perceive under his or her hands even very early on in their cranial career. What I learned from the first example is that it is a beautiful example when mine and the patients perception coincide and show effect. What the second patient taught me is to accept that sometimes cranial is just not the technique of choice. |