About Concussion
Craniosacral TherapyConcussion affects a surprising number of people – estimated that 36,000 people in New Zealand sustain a traumatic brain injury each year. A concussion occurs when a blow or jolt to the head effects the function of the brain. This can give rise to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory loss, vomiting, nausea, ringing in the ears, fatigue & insomnia. Loss of consciousness can occur as part of the response to impact but does not always occur.
Some symptoms are more subtle and are often noticed some time later, such as irritability, sensitivity to noise & light, sensitivity to busy environments, feeling overloaded or overwhelmed easily, struggling with cognitive tasks, fatigue when looking at computer screens, sleep difficulties, feeling depressed and feeling emotional.
In the clinic, I often notice impact patterns in the cranium that people are surprised about because they have no immediate symptoms. For this reason, I highly recommend getting almost all head impacts treated with Craniosacral Therapy as there is often a fight or flight response & associated tension pattern that can be released, avoiding any possible future issues.
Why do concussion symptoms occur?
When we have an impact, the body activates the sympathetic nervous system, also known as Fight, Flight or Freeze as part of its innate response to danger. This is helpful at the time, but many times doesn’t get the message to switch off again and return to normal levels (where the parasympathetic nervous system takes over). Running the sympathetic response for an extended period of time gives rise to symptoms that correspond with this “danger mode” i.e., we become hypersensitive to our surroundings, we are unable to switch off and sleep, and we may have headaches and tiredness because the nervous system is working overtime.
How can Craniosacral Therapy help?
CST involves gentle, hands-on manipulation of the cranial bones, spine, and sacrum, aiming to enhance the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and release tension within the central nervous system. This helps the body back into the parasympathetic response the “rest & digest” state – a bit like using the brake pedal in a car.
Restoring the parasympathetic response can result in:
- Reduced Stress: The sympathetic nervous system helps lower stress hormone levels, such as cortisol, which can be detrimental to brain health when chronically elevated.
- Enhanced Repair and Growth: In the parasympathetic state, the body prioritizes healing and growth. This includes repairing damaged neurons, facilitating neurogenesis (the creation of new neurons), and supporting synaptic plasticity, which is essential for learning and memory.
- Improved Circulation and Nutrient Delivery: The parasympathetic nervous system promotes better blood flow to the brain, ensuring that it receives an adequate supply of oxygen and essential nutrients.
- Balanced Neurotransmitter Levels: The parasympathetic state helps regulate neurotransmitter levels, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are important for mood, sleep, and overall mental well-being.
- Sleep Promotion: The parasympathetic nervous system promotes relaxation and is closely associated with the sleep-wake cycle. Adequate sleep is critical for brain health, as it allows for the consolidation of memories, clearance of metabolic waste products, and overall restoration of brain function.
If you are suffering from post concussion symptoms, Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle, non-invasive therapy that is helpful to restore balance to the body & nervous system. CST also works well in conjunction with other therapies if you are already receiving concussion treatment, and can help integrate the changes for faster recovery.
Read what our clients have to say
14 Months after having a fall which resulted in several facial factures and concussion, left me unable to bite with my top teeth and constant pain in my mouth and neck. This caused me sleepless nights, living on pain killers and only able to mangage soft foods. I had been to an Oral Surgeon, root canal specialist and physiotherapist etc. with no positive outcome. Told if nerve damage there was nothing they could do for it. After having a random conversation with a lady who had suffered an injury had Craniosacral Therapy and could highly recommend the treatment , I decided on my return to Auckland to look into it. As this was entirely new to me I didnt really know what to expect. Found the treatment completely unintrusive, James has a very calming touch, which enabled me to relax, very hard to explain how I felt after my first treatment for the first 24 hours, then realised the pain in my mouth was less intense and after a few days was able to cut back on the amout of pain killers I was taking and was sleeping better. I have now had 5 treatments over 2 months have less pain and more movment in my neck and for the first time in 16 months managed to bite and chew a piece of toast. I can’t thank James enough for helping to get my life back on track and would certainly recommend this treatment.
Thank you so much for your cranial services over the past couple months. They have made a world of difference in my personal and professional life, being able to go with the flow with kids in the classroom and be at peace with uncontrollables.
(After a concussion..) I was experiencing frequent anxiety, sleeping problems, trouble concentrating and just a general feeling of uneasiness for a large majority of my days.
After a number of sessions I felt as if a lot of unnoticed tension had unwound and in turn relieved a large amount of my anxiety. I was sceptical after the first couple sessions as there was not immediate changes and its a different method used but after a total of 7 sessions in the end it’s undeniable that I feel better by leaps and bounds which I attribute to the cranial sacral work.