The development and the point of origin of the so called cranio-sacral rhythm are just as disputed as their distribution throughout the body and their clinical relevance

Basics:

The development and the point of origin of the so called cranio-sacral rhythm are just as disputed as their distribution throughout the body and their clinical relevance. A lot is possible, little is proven.

This leads to a wide range of speculations and also gives room for extremely speculative teachings of cranial healing.

A multitude of measurement results about rhythms at the head exist. These are based on the results of variable methods of measurement, and on reports of single osteopaths and should be further investigated.

Only a selection of statements is given in the following.

A rhythm of 10-14 cycles a minute was described by Magoun. This could correlate to the Traube-Hering oscillations.

A rhythm of 6 or rather 8-12 per minute was described by Becker and Upledger.

Jealous palpated a rhythm of 2.5 cycles per minute.

Becker also palpated a rhythm of 6-10 cycles in 10 minutes, which he called the slow tide. This could correlate to the Mayer-oscillations.

Liem palpated a cycle length of 5 minutes, which could also be confirmed through CT-scans.

With the help of CT-scans one could also measure phasic movement patterns of the density of the brain and of the ventricular form with a cycle of 33 minutes.

Currently no written work exists about the palpation of this, lastly mentioned, rhythm. Some personal palpation experiences also seem to indicate very slow, expanding and retracting impulses, but these results are rather irregular, non-uniform and so far a continuous rhythm did not crystallize.