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Jones' Cranial Tender Point Techniques

Laurence Jones developed strain/counterstrain and methods for treating cranial dysfunction and pain. His methods involve gently palpating tender points on the cranium to locate areas of sensitivity or restriction. Sources recommend varying levels of pressure for treatment, from 5 grams to 10 pounds, with most recommending lighter pressure of ounces or less. Jones' method relies on feedback from tender points to relieve cranial problems, though it is simpler than cranial osteopathy and focuses more on palpation than mechanical understanding of the skull. Treatment of Jones' described cranial tender points is believed to positively influence local sensitivities and common complaints by positional release of restrictions.

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Jeffry Rustandi
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291 views2 pages

Jones' Cranial Tender Point Techniques

Laurence Jones developed strain/counterstrain and methods for treating cranial dysfunction and pain. His methods involve gently palpating tender points on the cranium to locate areas of sensitivity or restriction. Sources recommend varying levels of pressure for treatment, from 5 grams to 10 pounds, with most recommending lighter pressure of ounces or less. Jones' method relies on feedback from tender points to relieve cranial problems, though it is simpler than cranial osteopathy and focuses more on palpation than mechanical understanding of the skull. Treatment of Jones' described cranial tender points is believed to positively influence local sensitivities and common complaints by positional release of restrictions.

Uploaded by

Jeffry Rustandi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Jones' Cranial Methods: Discusses various cranial methods developed by Laurence Jones, focusing on points tenderness and techniques for relieving pressure.
  • Treatment of Jones' Cranial Tender Points: Explains specific treatments for the cranial tender points, emphasizing the appropriate use of pressure and mentions various conditions.

Jones’ cranial methods

The developer of strain/counterstrain, Laurence Jones, has also focused attention on cranial
dysfunction (Jones 1981)
and suggests specific corrective methods for pain (‘tender points’) or restrictions (Fig. 10.3).
Locating tender points
Finding the tender points listed below (based on Jones’ extensive research and clinical
experience) is a matter of gentle
fingertip palpation.
Despite there being only a very shallow layer of muscle in most of the locations described,
trigger points are
commonly located on the cranium, and care is needed as to how much pressure is applied. The
suggestion is that the
palpating digit should produce just enough discomfort for the patient to register the sensitivity
and be able to report on
the easing of intensity as positional release is attempted.
How much force?
The author believes that the amount of effort required to produce ‘ease’ when working on the
cranium should be
minimal, and should not exceed ounces. The opinions expressed by others are listed below.
Jones (1981) speaks of 10lb (5kg) of pressure and more.
D’Ambrogio and Roth (1997) suggest no more than 1lb (0.5kg) of pressure (this is the degree of
force advocated
by this text as a maximum, less if possible).
Upledger (1983), however, believes 5g of pressure to be adequate.
Varying but light forces are used in order to ease the palpated pain/sensitivity. Once this has
been achieved, the
instructions in the text to ‘hold the position for up to 90 seconds’ will be seen. It is worth keeping
the words of
Upledger in mind, regarding ‘sensing’ the tissues ‘pushing back’ at which time it is suggested
that the structure be held
towards the position of ease. This approach is valid, although there is a difference between the
underlying approaches
of Jones and Upledger.
While Upledger relates his guidelines to craniosacral therapy, Jones is clear that he does not:
By the time I had begun to adapt my method to treat cranial disorders, I had acquired an abiding
faith in
the reliability of the tender points to report the efficacy of treatment. I claim no mechanical
understanding
of the skull, but I am able to relieve most cranial problems simply by relying on feedback from
the tender
points. The method probably is not comparable to the cranial studies developed by Dr WG
Sutherland
(cranial osteopath) but it is much easier to learn and it does an excellent job. On these terms I am
willing
to forego mechanical understanding.
As indicated, the poundage suggested by Jones displays his lack of awareness of (or belief in) the
delicacy of the
cranial structure, and so the recommended degree of pressure described in the methods outlined
below is a scaled
down version of Jones’ recommendations, and is in line with craniosacral levels of force –
ounces or less, rather than
pounds.
Treatment of Jones’ cranial tender points
Jones reports that suitable treatment of the tender points numbered and described below, by
positional release, can
positively influence a variety of local problems and sensitivities (pain or sensitivity in the tender
points, for example),
as well as assisting in the resolution of a number of common complaints (see Box 10.1).
Box 10.1 Common complaints assisted by treatment of cranial tender points
Infraorbital tender point:
Periorbital headaches
Maxillary sinus problems
Lateral canthus tender point:
Upper dental neuritis
Masseter tender point:
Earache
Lower dental neuritis
Nasal tender point:
Periorbital headaches
Nasal congestion
Occipitomastoid tender point:
Frontal and periorbital headaches
Earache
Vertigo
Dysphagia
Posterior auricular tender point:
Tinnitus
Sphenoid tender point:
Upper dental

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