After 47 years in this field, I am still learning.
A former patient presented with a new problem. I had seen her for nine visits more than two years ago. She had done well with therapy until this latest issue.
She had a weird headache at the top of her head. She felt sinus pressure and a left TMJ pain down into her left neck and shoulder. I usually ask about causative trauma(s) during that time, and she could not think of any.
The first session started to open up her upper-body structures. There was also a fascial twist in her neck with an arching strain.
At the second session, she could feel strain in her left diaphragm and her lower esophageal sphincter (LES) causing GERD. Her entire craniosacral fascial system was lighting up with cascading symptoms.
During this visit, she casually mentioned she had a basil cell carcinoma removed from her scalp at the top of her head about six months ago. She made me palpate the “divot” and related that the doctor had to suture the two edges together to create a tight junction.
As a former surgeon, I understand the importance of wound healing with primary intention. But the tightness of the scalp bound to the cranium can make that joining more difficult and create strain in the area. This phenomenon probably explained the feeling of a weird headache in her scalp at the top of her head.
That procedure also tapped into the function of her craniosacral fascial system. Health providers are usually unaware of the craniosacral and fascial aspects of health.
Looking back, I needed to ask if she had any surgery, even though it may have seemed inconsequential at the time. Any cutting into this system anywhere in the body, especially the head, can set off a set of unexplained symptoms.
For future visits, I will be focusing on her scalp scar and all of the ramifications of that surgery. Gillespie Approach Training can unlock the healing door for patients.
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