Cranial osteopathy super helpful

[CDOX]

Hi

Like so many who subscribe to this forum, I have a long history of having a “funny head”. It seems very clear to me that the term FND covers a large range of different conditions with potentially very different root causes and treatment pathways. However, for my particular condition which had been diagnosed as dystonia or a functional movement disorder I wanted to share how incredibly effective cranial osteopathy has been...

My neuro symptoms story started with a bang on the back of my head aged 11 and symptoms have occurred episodically ever since. The usual pattern is that things start with uncontrolled flexing of my torso (a non-epileptic jerky fit) which lasts only 10-15 mins and then very long periods of finding it hard to move or speak with a very fuzzy head which can last for days. This is always accompanied by a distorted face as my eyebrows are abnormally raised. The longest period of illness lasted for 14months and bouts of symptoms now occur on average each year. The trigger for a fresh bout of symptoms isn’t always clear but a bang on the head would be one pretty sure way for me to get ill again. Stress or worry is not a trigger.

I’ve had the full range of standard neuro tests with nothing abnormal found on scans etc. and no conventional treatment has worked. However, 18 years ago while living in Paris I saw a doctor who was also a cranial osteopath and he was able to stop my symptoms with a single treatment. The neurologists treating me at the time attributed this simply to the placebo effect as they believe that the very gentle manipulation performed by cranial osteopathy in adults has no physical effect whatsoever.

Since this time I’ve had the experience that, if my symptoms ever reoccur, I am dramatically better after a single good cranial osteopathic treatment and 100% normal after 2-3 treatments and a few weeks. I’ve experienced this in the U.K. as well as France. However, effectiveness is very tied to the skills of the individual osteopath and so if I find someone good then I stick to them. I have also experienced treatment by new people and have had a jerky fit immediately afterwards and have been no better or worse.

I am in my mid-40s and this isn’t a permanent cure as my symptoms do seem to reoccur every 1-2 years but in between I can lead a perfectly normal active life.

I’d love to know if anyone out there has similarly benefitted from osteopathic manipulation. If you have similar symptoms to mine and you believe that a head injury might be a factor then I’d be happy to recommend the practitioners that I know who are good in London, Paris or India.

Regardless, I hope that my story at least can bring some hope that feeling completely well is possible.

[Gypsi]

Thank you so much for this very interesting, potentially useful to others.

[Gypsi in reply to Gypsi]

Sorry, the word 'information' slipped out of the above!

[Chingona]

Ok, well now I’m convinced to try it!

I worked for an acupuncturist when I first started having symptoms and she would do treatments on me. It was kind of neat there was one scalp point that would make my left side numbness instantly disappear!! Anyways she suggested cranio sacral therapy and honestly I’m pretty open to “alternative medicine “ but I’ve seen it done on people and I just had a hard thinking that touching someone’s head would do anything. But hey! The human body is incredibly mysterious. Thanks for sharing your story!

[youghal]

Hi, my daughter has been diagnosed with FND- mainly pins and needles and numbness. Can you recommend anyone good in London please.

[CDOX in reply to youghal]

Hi. Sorry to hear that your daughter is unwell. The osteopath that I go and see is called Sue Turner who has a practice near Notting Hill. The number is : 020 7229 8144. She works wonders with my head but your daughters symptoms sound different to mine. Please let me know how you get on.

[youghal in reply to CDOX]

Thank you. I will explore.