Maria is a 63 year old who has suffered with low back pain, neck pain and headaches over the last 35 years and has lately been getting worse. Medical tests show wear and tear of the lumbar and cervical spine commensurate with her age. 

Her case history revealed 2 accidents, a whiplash 26 years ago and a fall onto the base of her spine at the age of 9 when ice skating.

Conventional and complementary manipulation over the years had no more than temporary relief.

Examination of the craniosacral system revealed of a rotation at the sacro-coccyx junction. Spinal and related pain that is persistent and only temporarily amenable to treatment may often be traced to history of trauma, the coccyx often gets overlooked as a maintaining factor, however nearly everybody has a fall onto the base of the spine at some point. The coccyx is also vulnerable in childbirth.

Adjusting the coccyx traditionally meant an internal manipulation, but an external adjustment using craniosacral techniques can be more effective. 

With patient lying prone or on her side the operators hand is placed over the sacrum with the palmar eminences at the L/S junction, the sided of the hand adjacent to the sacro-iliac joints and the middle finger bridging the sacro-coccyx junction. The practitioner’s other hand cups the occiput. This position allows the operator to normalise alignment and motion between the sacral joints and the coccyx.

Maria was most surprised when the pain subsided within three treatments and the neck pain and headaches went.

Jonathan Lawrence BA DO Cert Ed teaches Craniosacral Therapy; www.turningpointtraining.org 01769 579079

© Jonathan Lawrence