A Chiropractic technique for the head and face
Cranial Facial
Release.
The Cranial Facial Release technique is hands-on and aimed above the neck, at the bones of the face and skull. Its best-known step is a small balloon, inflated for a moment in the nasal passage. It is offered here by Dr Jeffrey McTavish DC as part of his Chiropractic care.
No result is promised here.
You will find Cranial Facial Release promoted elsewhere for a long list of problems. The research does not support those claims, and the clinic does not make them. This page describes the technique, so that you can decide whether to ask about it.
If something is wrong with your breathing, your nose or your sinuses, or you have had a head injury, see your GP first. Those need a medical assessment, and this is not a substitute for one.
What it involves
Most Chiropractic care works on the spine and the joints of the arms and legs. Cranial Facial Release is aimed higher, at the bones of the face and skull and the joints between them. It is one of the hands-on techniques Dr Jeffrey McTavish DC has trained in, alongside the spinal techniques listed on his profile.
Its best-known step uses a small balloon, of the kind made to cover a fingertip, on a hand pump. It is placed a short way into one nostril, inflated for a moment, then let down and taken out. Hands-on work on the head and neck follows.
The inflation lasts a moment, but it is not a comfortable moment. Pressure through the nose and face is expected, and so are watering eyes. You can ask for it to stop at any point.
How many inflations a session involves, on which side, and how long the appointment takes is something Dr McTavish DC will explain before you start.
What it is
- A hands-on Chiropractic technique for the bones of the face and skull
- Carried out by a chiropractor registered with the General Chiropractic Council
- Considered only after a consultation and examination, never as a first step
- One part of a course of Chiropractic care, agreed with you at the examination
What it is not
- It is not a treatment for any named condition, and no result is promised
- It is not a substitute for your GP, an ear, nose and throat specialist or your dentist
- It is not surgery: nothing is cut, injected or left behind
- It is not right for everybody, and the screening below comes first
Tell us first
These change whether the technique is appropriate, and some rule it out altogether. Dr McTavish DC goes through the full screening list with you before any treatment.
- Blood-thinning medication, or any bleeding or clotting disorder
- Any surgery, plate or implant in the face, nose or skull
- A known aneurysm, or any other condition of the blood vessels in the head
- A recent injury to the head or face
- Frequent nosebleeds, or a cold or infection on the day
Coming from further away
If you are travelling from London or from further along the coast, the clinic is directly opposite West Worthing station, at 18–19 Station Parade.
Getting hereBefore you book
Ask whether it suits you.
A short conversation first is the right way in. Sometimes the answer is your GP, and that is worth knowing before you pay for anything.
Cranial Facial Release is a Chiropractic technique. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis and no outcome is promised. If you have symptoms affecting your breathing, your nose or your sinuses, or you have had a head injury, see your GP before anything else.
