Manual Therapy Approach to the Brain – Volume 1

This book presents an innovative manual approach to working with people who have challenges related to their brain, the most complex and fascinating part of the body, and a territory that seems essentially inaccessible. It is the result of a rich clinical experience, and a long empirical and pragmatic journey that Jean-Pierre Barral began over four decades ago while working with many patients with head injuries, strokes, brain diseases, and psychomotor disabilities.

The objective of this manual approach is to help improve the functioning of the different circuits of the brain by addressing the circulatory, fluidic, meningeal, neural, and electromagnetic systems that are brought into play during daily activities. It is thus possible, by precise manual therapy techniques, explained in detail in this book, to come to the aid of patients who have been afflicted with such ailments as brain damage, trauma or stroke, as well as aiding those with neurodegenerative diseases, depression, and without forgetting those patients with both motor and sensory dysfunctions.

After a few introductory chapters devoted to general information (author’s mode of action, brain development, cranial pressures, respiration, cardiac activity, and indications and contraindications), the author presents his original techniques based on four main approaches:

1. The structural approach brings together techniques relating to the vascular, nervous, meningeal, ocular, barometric systems, and the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.
2. The functional approach brings together the study and treatment of dysfunctions affecting the senses and functions (speech, hearing, balance, touch, motor skills, consciousness, taste, smell, sight, fear, pain, memory, etc.)
3. The emotional approach focusses on a person’s processes of adaptation and compensation.
4. The neuroendocrine approach.

Richly illustrated, this book is intended for all osteopaths and manual therapists committed to assisting their patients by helping to mitigate the effects of trauma, disease, or disability.