Gentle, whole-body support for persistent concussion symptoms, dizziness, vertigo, whiplash, headaches, and neck tension in North Beach, Maryland.
A concussion may happen in an instant, but for some people, the effects can linger long after the initial injury.
Headaches. Dizziness or vertigo. Neck tension. Difficulty concentrating. Sensitivity to light or sound. Fatigue. A nervous system that seems to become overwhelmed much more easily than it did before.
After a concussion, symptoms do not always come from one isolated structure or system. The head and neck, vestibular system, visual system, musculoskeletal system, and nervous system can all be involved, which is one reason persistent post-concussion symptoms can be so complex.
CranioSacral Therapy offers a gentle, whole-body approach. Rather than trying to force the body through symptoms, I listen to the individual system and work with the patterns of tension and restriction that present themselves. This may include the cranium and its membranes, the neck and cranial base, the spine and sacrum, or other areas of the body involved in the pattern.
The goal is to support the body’s own capacity for regulation and adaptation as it continues to recover.
When Concussion Symptoms Don’t Fully Resolve
Most people expect a concussion to improve with time and rest. But for some, symptoms continue for months or even longer. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep disruption, neck pain, and sensitivity to light or sound can persist and interfere with everyday life.
Persistent post-concussion symptoms can involve more than the initial injury itself. Changes involving the cervical spine, vestibular and visual systems, musculoskeletal tension, and nervous-system regulation may all contribute to the ongoing experience. This is one reason recovery can look very different from one person to another.
CranioSacral Therapy gives me a way to work gently with the individual rather than following a predetermined protocol. I listen for patterns of restriction throughout the craniosacral system and the rest of the body, allowing the work to follow what each person’s system presents.
Early research specifically examining CST for post-concussion symptoms is encouraging. A 2021 pilot study followed people who sought CranioSacral Therapy after concussion, including individuals whose symptoms persisted for six months or longer. A majority of patients met their goals of reducing post-acute or persistent post-concussion symptoms, and most patients who perceived an effect from CST were able to identify that effect within one to three sessions.
Dizziness & Vertigo
Dizziness and vertigo can occur after a concussion, but they can also develop without any history of head injury. The vestibular system, the brain, the upper cervical spine, vision, and the body’s systems for balance and spatial orientation can all contribute to what a person experiences as dizziness, unsteadiness, or a sense that the world is moving.
For some people, vertigo is clearly connected to movement or changes in head position. For others, dizziness may appear alongside neck tension, headaches or migraine, visual sensitivity, fatigue, or difficulty feeling steady and oriented in space. Because several different systems can contribute to these symptoms, the experience of vertigo can vary considerably from one person to another.
CranioSacral Therapy approaches dizziness and vertigo from a whole-body perspective. I may work with the cranial base and temporal bones, the neck and upper cervical region, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, or other areas of tension and restriction that present during the session. The work is gentle and responsive, allowing me to follow the individual patterns I find rather than trying to force the body through the symptoms.
CranioSacral Therapy has its roots in cranial osteopathy, the earlier osteopathic approach that helped form the foundation for Dr. John Upledger’s development of CST. Research into craniosacral approaches for vestibular symptoms is encouraging. In a controlled study of people with chronic peripheral vestibular pathology, participants receiving craniosacral osteopathic treatment experienced significant improvements in dizziness and balance, with greater improvements than the comparison group receiving dimenhydrinate.
Vertigo can have many different causes, and some require specific medical or vestibular treatment. CranioSacral Therapy can also be used alongside appropriate care, particularly when dizziness or vertigo occurs as part of a more complex pattern involving the head, neck, headaches or migraine, or the nervous system.
A Whole-Body Approach After Head Injury
A concussion affects more than the place where the head was struck. The forces involved in an injury can also travel through the neck and surrounding tissues. Concussion and whiplash can occur together, particularly with acceleration-deceleration injuries such as falls, sports injuries, or motor vehicle accidents, and the symptoms of the two can overlap.
Headache, neck pain and stiffness, dizziness or vertigo, visual disturbances, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating can occur with both concussion and whiplash. Research has also found cervical symptoms to be particularly common among people with persistent post-concussion symptoms.
Headaches and migraine can also involve patterns of tension through the jaw, cranial base, and neck. For a closer look at these relationships and how I approach them through CranioSacral Therapy, read CranioSacral Therapy for TMJ, Headaches & Migraines.
CranioSacral Therapy gives me a way to listen to these relationships rather than isolating one symptom or one part of the body. During a session, I may be drawn to restrictions involving the cranium and cranial base, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, the neck, spine, sacrum, or patterns elsewhere in the body that appear connected to the way your system has adapted since the injury.
This is especially important when symptoms have persisted even after the initial injury has healed. The body may still be working with patterns of tension and compensation that developed around the trauma. Rather than following a predetermined concussion or whiplash protocol, I follow what your individual system presents and allow the work to unfold from there.
Research into manual therapy for persistent post-concussion symptoms also reflects this broader approach. One published case series involving retired professional football players, military service members and veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury used CranioSacral Therapy together with Neural Manipulation and Visceral Manipulation. The study reported improvements across several measures, including pain, cervical range of motion, sleep, and aspects of cognitive function. Because several manual therapies were used together, the results cannot be attributed to CST alone, but the study adds to the developing research around hands-on approaches for persistent post-concussion symptoms.
What to Expect from Your CranioSacral Therapy Session
Your session is individualized to you. CranioSacral Therapy is performed fully clothed on a comfortable treatment table using gentle, light touch. There is no predetermined sequence or protocol. I listen to your body and nervous system and follow what presents during the session. This is consistent with how CST sessions are described by the Upledger Institute: light-touch work in which the practitioner listens for and works with individual patterns of tension and restriction.
For post-concussion symptoms, vertigo, dizziness, or the effects of whiplash, that may include work with the head and cranial base, neck, spine, sacrum, or other areas of the body involved in the pattern. Because each person’s injury and adaptation are different, where we begin is not always where the work leads.
The gentle nature of CST can be particularly valuable when someone is already dealing with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, sensory sensitivity, or feeling easily overwhelmed. Rather than pushing the system, I work at the pace your individual body presents.
I am a Techniques Certified CranioSacral Therapist with extensive training through the Upledger Institute, including advanced CranioSacral Therapy studies throughout North America and Europe.
My studio is located in North Beach, Maryland, serving clients from Calvert County, Southern Maryland, and surrounding communities.
If you are continuing to experience symptoms after a concussion or whiplash, or you’re dealing with recurring dizziness or vertigo, CranioSacral Therapy may offer another way of working with the patterns your body is holding.