craniopathy
cra·ni·op·a·thy
(krā'nē-op'ă-thē),cranial osteopathy
Osteopathic medicineA form of alternative osteopathy developed by Dr William G Sutherland (1873–1954), who viewed life as pulsating contractions and expansions that he called the “breath of life”; according to Sutherland, a healthy craniosacral system pulsates at a rate of 6 to 15 times/minute, which is achieved throught therapy. In craniosacral therapy, bones of the skull and face are manipulated to facilitate the flow of the “living forces”, possibly by improving the flow of cerebrospinal fluid; the manipulation is believed to be effective in treating autism, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, ear infection, oedema, epilepsy, headache, hypertension, hypotension, mood disorders, recurrent infections, spinal cord injury, stroke, temporomandibular joint syndrome, stress, tension, tinnitus and other conditions. Cranial osteopathy has three approaches: meningeal, reflex and sutural (in which the sutures between the cranial bones are manipulated).