Research & Evidence

Cranio-Cacral Therapy (CST) is still an emerging field of research, and larger studies are needed. However, several clinical studies have specifically investigated Cranio-Sacral Therapy for pain, migraine, fibromyalgia and infant symptoms.

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A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on CST for chronic pain found improvements in pain and function lasting up to six months.

 

A randomized sham-controlled trial for chronic neck pain also reported reduced pain intensity, improved function and better quality of life after CST.

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For lower back pain, a randomized controlled trial in 64 patients with chronic non-specific low back pain found that ten CST sessions produced greater improvements than classic massage in pain intensity and some physiological measures.

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CST has also been studied in migraine. A randomized controlled trial of a CST protocol for migraine reported reductions in pain, migraine severity, frequency of attacks and functional impact.

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In fibromyalgia, two randomized trials have reported positive findings. One 92-patient randomized controlled trial found improvements in pain symptoms and heart-rate variability.

 

Another 84-patient double-blind clinical trial reported improvements in anxiety, sleep quality, pain and quality of life, particularly up to six months after treatment.

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There is also some infant research. A randomized controlled trial in 58 babies with infantile colic found reductions in crying hours and colic severity, with increased sleep. A later randomized controlled trial on infant colic also reported improvement after two to three CST sessions compared with no treatment.

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These studies do not mean that CST is a replacement for medical care, diagnosis or emergency treatment. They do suggest, however, that CST may be a helpful complementary approach for some people, especially where symptoms are linked with chronic pain, tension, stress, migraine, sleep disturbance or nervous system dysregulation.