Do you ever feel  disoriented and or unable to organize your thoughts or focus on one task long enough to complete it? Are you forgetting things and unable to recall short term memory? That’s generally what is referred to as “brain fog” a non medical term characterizing what most of us at some point or another will experience.

It’s important to be mindful that brain fog isn’t itself a medical term. Instead, it’s important to think of brain fog as what it actually is: A cognitive compromise that is a symptom of stress, anxiety and or lack of function and fluid flow (Cerbro-Spinal fluid produced in the brain) within the craniosacral mechanism; or some other medical condition. 

If you can’t focus on your work—or anything else, if the inside of your head feels heavy, if there are tender / sore points in your face or head, then it could be brain fog. If you are experiencing lack of clarity, memory loss as your symptoms, if you’re unable to remember important passwords, having recall difficulty repeatedly, you would be categorized as having brain fog.  If you’re also finding that you can’t concentrate on the tasks in front of you, or that you’re having prolonged memory issues in general, these are both classic signs that you’re experiencing brain fog. If you’re feeling slow or sluggish and are noticing basic everyday tasks are taking you longer to complete, or that your grades or work performance are slipping, this may also be indicative of brain fog.  An indication of a compromised craniosacral system.

While surmising the causes of brain fog can be easy, it is commonly the end result of causes beyond your conscious control. Wherein you can determine your personal chief causes, the degree or measure to which each cause contributes to your brain fog is a far more challenging. This is where craniosacral therapy, a holistic treatment that supports the wellness of the body as a whole can offer great benefits and complete reversal, back to a normal healthy cognizant state. Here are the most commonplace health conditions supporting brain fog.

• Stress: When you’re stressed out, your blood pressure may raise, your immune system, your energetic system (Chakras, Meridian Points, Biofield) may be compromised and you may experience what’s called “mental fatigue,” which can create brain fog. This can individually contribute to a condition of brain fogginess.

• Lack of Sleep: You’d be surprised at just how valuable a good night’s sleep is to the human body. In order to keep your body—and brain—functioning optimally, it’s recommended that you get at least eight hours of sleep per night. If you’re burnin’ the wick at both ends too often for too long, you may experience brain fog, and find it difficult to concentrate, focus and get stuff done. Loss of REM sleep can be debilitating.

• Medications: It’s important that when introducing new medications to your body, you’re aware of any and every side effect you may encounter. If after you start taking a new medication you start experiencing any of the symptoms of brain fog, it’s best to consult with your doctor to see about either lowering your dosage or trying another medication. 

• Diet: The food you put into your body has a lot to do with how you feel. If you’ve taken an elementary level health class, you already knew that. What you may not have known is that the foods you eat also affect your propensity for brain fog. For instance, a vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to depression, anxiety and several of the other symptoms heavily associated with brain fog.

• Preexisting Medical Conditions: Remember: Brain fog is a cognitive dysfunction, and while it also has its own varied list of symptoms, it is also itself a symptom of some potentially large medical conditions. Some of those medical conditions include: Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple sclerosis, dehydration, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, anemia, lupus and even arthritis. 

Craniosacral Therapy can be effective in treating Brain Fog in several ways.

• Increase Flow of Cerebrospinal Fluid:  Craniosacral therapy (CST) increases the movement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF surrounds the spine and brain supporting mechanical and immunological security inside of our skull. This regulates blood flow, removes pollutants and allows balanced circulation.  Less CSF is produced as we grow older, putting us at a heightened risk for a myriad of aging and health complications. Crainosacral Therapy combats these challenges by flushing out toxins and improving brain function.

• Lower Sympathetic Tone: Anxiety and stress affect our body’s capacity to function correctly. Toxin build up are just a couple of side effects that can come from this. Crainosacral Therapy aids in lowering our sympathetic tone which in turn helps the body to get a full night’s sleep and remove un-useful waste from the brain.

• Reduce Inflammation of the Body and Brain:  Because inflammation of the brain contributes to Alzheimer’s and Dementia, Crainosacral Therapy is an effective solution to transmute these issues. Poor eating habits, stress  and other life factors can produce inflammation that can make its way into faculties of the brain. Crainosacral Therapy can support the immune system by fortifying its defense systems and ultimately reducing inflammation.

• Improvement of Brain Function: Crainosacral Therapy facilities the overall movement of Cerbro-Spinal fluid required for peak brain performance. Our  cerebro-spinal fluid flow is a vital component that support our brain’s ability to perform at its optimal capacity. When this function unbeknown to us is compromised, the brain receives a lesser amount of energy, oxygen and fluid causing it to underperform affecting function. Therefore, Crainosacral Therapy is a viable solution for boosting movement of fluid, enhancing brain function and eradicating Brain Fog.

Alex was born in March 1972. At the age of 7 he started to experience frequent headaches with all the conventional symptoms of a Migraine headache. His particular headache resulted in him experiencing auras, nausea and sensitivity to light with no particular trigger to the onset of the migraine.

After years of treatments, therapies and medications, his headaches were no better and Alex continued to experience them all throughout childhood and into young adulthood. Some years the headaches would come monthly, some years every two to three months and some years weekly. His headaches were incurable, there was nothing that could alleviate the symptoms and head pain. Until he experienced cranial manual therapy, which resulted in the complete eradication of his life-long Migraine Headaches.

At the age of 16 Alex noticed a mild deformity in the right side of his ribs, a slightly lower right shoulder and the experience of constant lower back pain. Although mild, a diagnosis of Idiopathic Adolescent Scoliosis had been labeled.

At the age of 18 he was involved in a serious car accident that exacerbated his lower back pain. Throughout the years Alex had tried a multitude of conventional treatments but continued to suffer on and off with lower back pain, even throughout Chiropractic school and beyond.

In 2015 and fifteen+ years out of Chiropractic school, Dr. Kaminsky participated in his first and life changing Craniosacral Therapy seminar and he was fascinated, intrigued and hooked. It all made sense, he was immediately astute to its methods and since that first seminar, and as a result of trading sessions of Craniosacral Therapy with his colleagues, his back pain subsided and till this day has never returned.

Dr. Kaminsky decided to enhance his skill-set to better serve his patients. He began reaching out to other craniosacral therapists, cranial osteopaths, and many types of leading practitioners from various fields for advise and consultations He also enrolled in Upledger continuing education seminars with a focus on mostly hands-on manual and alternative therapies.

And, as he gained knowledge with his own health issues, he has learned to help more and more patients achieve great health results.

Dr. Alex Kaminsky is headache free and low back pain free, and has committed himself to a life of learning, teaching and treating patients. His emphasis is on the patient’s stored patterns of the body and each individual healthcare needs.