What Is Cranial Adjusting? A Chiropractor’s Guide

Most people are used to thinking about chiropractic care in terms of the spine. Cranial adjusting applies a similar idea — assessing movement and finding restrictions — to the bones, sutures and tissues of the skull.

The cranium isn’t one solid, motionless piece of bone. It’s made up of multiple bones connected by joints called sutures, surrounded by muscle, connective tissue and the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord. Small amounts of movement in this system have been documented in the research literature, though the extent and clinical significance of that movement remain areas of ongoing scientific discussion.

How I think about it

I think of the cranium as part of a larger machine. When I examine someone, I’m interested in whether the different areas of that machine appear to be moving and functioning the way I’d expect.

If I find an area that seems restricted, I want to know: does addressing it change anything else I can measure? That’s why assessment — before and after — is central to how I practice.

Why would someone seek this out?

People come to me for many different reasons — headaches, breathing concerns, a history of head injury or concussion, or symptoms elsewhere in the body that haven’t responded to other approaches. Others are simply curious about a different way of looking at the body.

I don’t promise that cranial adjusting treats any particular condition. My approach is to examine the person, look for restrictions in the cranial system, and see how they respond when I address what I find.

What happens during an evaluation?

• History — including past injuries, even ones that happened decades ago
• Examination — head position, symmetry, movement and range of motion
• Muscle testing — used to help identify areas that may be relevant
• Adjustment — using CFR or another technique, based on what I find
• Reassessment — checking what, if anything, has changed