REFLEXES OF THE HEAD in response to movement and tension in the body
Governing Laws
Every action requires balancing reaction.
To maintain upright posture and walking coordination requires maintaining alignment of eyes and balance organs in the mastoids in alignment with gravity.
The tensegrity [tension integrity] requires balancing pulls on the skull and these have insertion points of tendons and ligaments into different bones of the skull affecting the joints, sutures and shape of the bones.
Discussion
Knowing and being able to palpate the reflexes of the skull is of major importance to the therapist.
Many aches, pains and distortions of the head, face and skull have their origin in distant parts of the body and will not resolve without intervention at that part of the body.
The whole body is to large to palpate at the same time but most of the head can be palpated by the two hands at the same time.
Reflexes of the head to motions of the body can be assessed quickly while the client is standing, seated, supine or prone.
Asymmetrical or fixation of movement can direct the therapist to the corresponding fixation or asymmetry in the client’s body. This can save much time and missed problems in assessing the client initially and at the end of a session.
Outline
This section will be considered in logical divisions based on the region of the body that causes a reflex in the head or on positions of palpable landmarks of the skull and jaw. These divisions will be generally in the order that they are most obvious and progress toward the more difficult to palpate. If you are experienced in CranioSacral palpation then most will be readily discernible. The divisions are:
CHEST TO FOREHEAD AND SIDES OF THE HEAD PELVIS TO MASTOID HIP SOCKETS TO ATTACHMENTS OF THE EAR PUBIC ARCH TO BRIDGE OF THE NOSE AND ARCH OF THE JAW ABDOMINALS TO CHEEKS SACRUM TO OCCIPUT SPINE TO PARTIAL SUTURE INTERNAL TENSIONS TO HYOID AND SPHENOID