Sphenoid Release, Endonasal Balloon Therapy, Neuro Cranial Restructuring (NCR), Bilateral Nasal Spec

Endonasal Balloon Therapy is hands down the craziest thing I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a LOT of things). It is also one of the most powerful structural therapies I’ve encountered and has changed my well-being completely. It involves taking a tiny balloon, sticking it up your nose, and inflating it, all with the goal of freeing the tension that exists inside your head. Intrigued? Keep reading.

Same Bit, Different Name

Endonasal Balloon Therapy is a form of cranial work, and is the name of the actual technique itself. It is also known by different names such as Neuro Cranial Restructuring (NCR), Functional Cranial Release, and Bilateral Nasal Specifics. All of these therapies use the Endonasal Balloon Technique at their very core, but have evolved to become their own brands as a result of different doctors adapting this technique and calling it their own. Some of these therapies use other treatments in conjunction with the Endonasal Balloon Therapy, while others do research based on the specific therapy they’ve adapted. Neuro Cranial Restructuring (NCR) is by far the largest of them all, with the most number of participating treatment providers.

There are other forms of cranial work as well, and these should not be confused with the Endonasal Balloon Therapy based treatments. This includes the Cranial Release Technique, and the Komen Specific Technique. Both these treatment options are completely different, and use different techniques to try and accomplish the same goal.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Endonasal Balloon Therapy is based on the idea that the skull is actually made up of 22 separate bones and is not actually one solid bone. These bones fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and are joined together by sutures. Rather than being a fixed solid combination of all these bones, the sutures connecting the bones allow them to move very slightly. The skull actually expands and contracts ever so slightly, and the skull actually has a very subtle pulsing motion. This pulsing motion is critical to the proper neurological function of the brain.

The bones can become jammed in a sense, and prevent the proper pulsing of the skull. Improper expansion and contraction of the skull restricts the proper function of the brain, resulting in many different types of issues. Endonasal Balloon Therapy aims at freeing the restriction and allowing proper function back to the nervous system.

The therapy does this by attempting to unlock all restrictions from inside the head. One of the 22 bones that make up the skull is known as the Sphenoid bone, which is a butterfly shaped bone located inside the skull. A sphenoid subluxation or restricted motion of the sphenoid bone can greatly impede the natural pulsing rhythm of the skull. The sphenoid bone actually connects directly to 19 of the 22 bones of the skull, so restoring proper motion of the sphenoid bone can greatly remove restriction to the rest of the head.

META DATA DATA

StartFragmentFigure 1. The various bones that make up the skullEndFragment

META DATA DATA

StartFragmentFigure 2. Posterior view of the sphenoid bone which is shaped like a butterflyEndFragment

META DATA DATA

StartFragmentFigure 3. The sphenoid bone in relation to the rest of the skullEndFragment

Consequences of Improper Motion

Many critical nerves run around and through the sphenoid bone, and having the bone locked in an unnatural position can have an impact on these nerves. The sphenoid bone actually makes up the back of the eye socket, with nerves running through openings in the back of the socket. Cranial nerve 2, which is the optic nerve enabling sight, actually passes through the optic foramen, which is an opening in the back of the eye socket. Cranial nerves 3, 4, 5, and 6 which control eye muscle movements among many other functions, pass through the superior orbital fissure which is also located in the back of the eye socket.

The sphenoid bone also contains the Prechiasmatic Groove, which is right under the Optic Chiasm. The Optic Chiasm is the part of the brain where the visual pathways of the eyes actually cross. Having the sphenoid bone in an unnatural position can actually put pressure on the Optic Chiasm, resulting in visual problems or visual disturbances. This can lead to things such as Bitemporal Hemianopsia, which is partial blindness in certain parts of the visual field. Many other visual disturbances have been reported as well.

The sphenoid bone also contains the Sella Turcica, which is a saddle shaped seat within the sphenoid that houses the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the master gland of the body and controls all the other glands in the body from the thyroid, to the testes, to the ovaries, to the adrenals, and more. The pulsing motion of the sphenoid actually helps the pituitary gland secrete hormones, and restricted pulsing can impede the proper function of the pituitary gland.

Improper movement and pulsing motion of the skull can cause numerous neurological and structural problems as well. The pumping motion of the head is actually what supplies the rest of the body with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear fluid that houses the brain and spinal cord, and bathes the brain and spinal cord with various chemicals. Restriction of the skull’s pulse drastically reduces the amount of fluid pumped out of the head and to the rest of the body. This also reduces the amount of CSF pumped out of the head. Since CSF is constantly produced, any restriction of CSF leaving the head can cause a buildup of pressure inside the head.

Restrictions of the skull also cause tension in the meninges and dura mater, which is a sheath that covers the brain and the rest of the spinal cord. Tension of the dura mater surrounding the brain can put pressure on the brain itself. It can also cause disruption to any of the other structures within the head. Tension in the dura mater arising from the skull can also have a chain reaction effect and create tension in the rest of the dura mater, which runs down the length of the spinal cord. This in turn can put pressure on the central nervous system itself and cause issues to every other system of the body.

Figure 4. Detailed structures of the sphenoid bone. Cranial nerves 3, 4, 5, and 6 pass through the Superior Orbital Fissure while the Maxilary branch of the Trigeninal Nerve passes through the Foramen Rotundum

Figure 5. The red area shows the Sella Turcica. This is the depression in the Sphenoid Bone

which houses the Pituitary Gland also known as the master gland.

Figure 6. Illustration of how the Pituitary Gland sits within the Sella Turcica

Figure 7. The Optic Chiasm also known as the Optic Chiasma, is the part of the brain where the visual pathways of the eyes cross

Issues Treated By The Therapy

The range of issues treated successfully are truly global throughout the body. In many cases, Endonasal Balloon Therapy is able to help cases and symptoms where nothing else has been able to help. Many patients have made their way through various medical and alternative health communities before finding EBT. For many patients, EBT is usually the last resort they have left.

The range of conditions and symptoms that EBT can help are extremely varied. This can include headaches of every variety (migraines, tension, cluster), dizziness of every variety (vertigo, ataxia, balance problems), cognitive issues (memory issues, ADD/ADHD, concentration issues, brain fog, inability to think clearly), tinnitus, TMJ dysfunction, anxiety, digestion problems, sleep problems, visual disturbances, neck pain and tension, aches and pains throughout the body, sensory sensitivities, and just about any other issue that other therapies just can’t seem to address.

EBT can also help tremendously with visual problems and visual disturbances due to the many critical nerves that run around and through the sphenoid bone. Many patients report gaining a clarity to their vision they never knew was missing. Patients also report an expansion of their visual field, with peripheral vision expanding for many patients.

While it is easy to talk about the actual symptoms that EBT provides relief for, the actual experience of getting EBT treatment is a feeling that is impossible to articulate to someone that hasn’t experienced the treatment. It completely shifts you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in a way that can only be understood by experiencing it. I have met 3 people who have experienced EBT, and the experience was equally as profound for each and every one of them.

Video explaining EBT by an NCR Naturopathic Doctor

The Treatment Itself

The treatment involves taking a tiny balloon, inserting it into one of your sinus cavities, and gently inflating it to relieve any pressure built up inside your head. It is non-invasive and virtually painless. There is no cutting, numbing agent required, or forceful motion applied.

The doctor takes a very small balloon, and attaches it to the end of a sphygomometer, or blood pressure bulb (the thing the doctor squeezes when taking your blood pressure). The doctor then lubricates the tiny balloon with a high quality lubricant and inserts the balloon into your nose. The doctor will use a q-tip or other small instrument to guide the balloon into the proper sinus cavity. Once the balloon is in the proper sinus, the doctor will squeeze the blood pressure bulb and gently inflate the balloon to expand the space between the bones and release the sphenoid bone. Once this is complete, the doctor will take out the balloon and insert into the next sinus cavity and repeat the process. There are six sinus cavities, and each practitioner and school of thought each have different protocols and may only do some of the sinuses while others do all six. Once this is done, it completes the treatment for that day. Most doctors will conduct treatment for four consecutive days, although the number of days also varies by doctor.

The treatment is painless and feels more like a pressure inside your head when the balloon is inflated. Once the balloon is no longer inflated and removed, there is virtually no residual discomfort. Some patients report the sensation as feeling like having water go up their nose. There is also no reason to be concerned that the balloon may pop. The balloon is never inflated to its maximum capacity, so the balloon popping is virtually impossible. The balloon is also not inflated with enough force to cause it to pop.

The one thing to keep in mind about the treatment is that there is a likelihood for a cracking sound to occur when the balloon is inflated. This is especially true during the first time. The balloon expands the space between the bones and frees the sphenoid bone, and this freeing of the bone can cause it to crack slightly. It sounds like Rice Krispies crackling more than anything else. This is actually a good sign, indicating that things have shifted. I had the cracking sensation on my first day of treatment in my upper and middle left sinus. It is extremely painless, and in fact, was quite relieving in a way.

After getting the Balloon Therapy done, it is typical to continue feeling changes and shifts 3-4 weeks after. The bones in the skull continue to shift throughout this time, and you may feel these shifts taking place. For me, I could feel things moving around, especially when I was sleeping. Subsequently, this can lead to changes throughout the body. Just know that anything you are experiencing is just the body adapting to this new state of being.

Demonstration of the technique by a Physical Therapist

What the Literature Says

For all the amazing benefits of Endonasal Balloon Therapy and all the people it has been able to help, there is just one teeny tiny caveat. There is no real data and scientific evidence to support any of the aforementioned claims. Virtually all of the claims are anecdotal and based on individual doctor and patient experiences.

The hardest fact to reconcile is the fact that none of the purported research has any objective testing or imagery to validate the claims that are made. There are no scans or ways of actually showing the relationship between the symptoms and supposed anatomical and physiological causality of these symptoms. No one can objectively prove that improper motion of the sphenoid or skull can be the cause of symptoms experienced. In fact, there isn’t even any objective scientific data showing that the skull and sphenoid should be moving in the first place.

There is also no real quantifiable data on the efficacy of the treatment on a large scale. There are no double blind studies conducted, and no centralized research of treatment on patients in a controlled setting. All the information is purely anecdotal and scattered at best.

This was perhaps the biggest hurdle for me to come to grips with on a personal level. I have always been a strong proponent of doing as much research as possible and making the most informed decision possible when deciding on any treatment or therapy, whether conventional or alternative. It was for this reason that I never really seriously considered trying the therapy, even though it had been recommended to me a few times by my chiropractor. As I began running out of options and my progress plateaued, I had no choice but to start giving it serious consideration.

As I started becoming desperate, I had to become very creative in my reasoning in order to bring myself to give the treatment a try. Since information on Endonasal Balloon Therapy is so scarce, I decided to look at other therapies with a similar premise in order to try and validate the claims that were made.

I had experienced Cranio Sacral Therapy previously, and having researched it extensively, knew that it was based on the same philosophy as Endonasal Balloon Therapy. CST is based on the idea that the bones of the skull have a natural rhythm and that this natural rhythm is what bathes and nourishes the brain and spine. A key idea of CST is also that the sphenoid is the keystone to unlocking any restrictions, and that gentle treatment of the sphenoid is one of the cornerstones of feeling better. While CST is also alternative with no real scientifically accepted research, it also has a much more centralized and larger network of practitioners and patients. Most of the patient testimonies are positive, which I took as meaning that there had to be some validity behind what was being claimed.

A large number of CST practitioners are physical therapists, who are one of the only few people allowed to practice CST. Since physical therapists are trained conventionally and based on scientific methods, I took it that there had to be some validity behind CST for someone conventionally trained in the sciences to accept its philosophy and practice it on their patients. My experience with CST was also through a physical therapist, and we had many deep conversations on CST as it related to health and healing.

Since EBT and CST were based on such similar premises, I took all these indirect connections and concluded that there had to be some truth behind the claims that were made. This is obviously a huge stretch and non-conclusive at all, but it was all I had and I convinced myself that this was worth trying from a scientific stand point.

The second way I tried to bring myself to try the treatment was to start researching patient experiences and finding everything I could about what patients of the treatment were saying. I came across many video patient testimonials raving about the procedure and how it helped them. While I am skeptical of testimonials in general, the fact that a lot these testimonials were taped helped a lot. I knew there either had to be some truth behind what the patients were saying, or these doctors were spending a lot of money paying actors to give false testimonials. Beyond that however, I tried to really listen to what the patients were saying. As I listened to more and more testimonials, I knew that most of these had to be genuine. The way that the patients described their symptoms were too specific and nuanced to be made up. I understood exactly what a lot of these people were saying, and there was no way for anyone else to describe the symptoms in such detail unless they were experiencing them as well.

The third way I tried to bring myself to try the treatment was to simply trust my chiropractor. He was the first and only person who was ever able to help me in any significant way, and I had to trust his confidence that this would help me. This was extremely hard for me, simply because there was no real objective way for me to gauge the efficacy of the treatment. This all changed when I went into his office for a routine correction. He had performed the EBT on his office administrator, and she just kept raving about how amazing it was and how much it helped her. Her face was aglow and lit up every time she talked about it. This was the tipping point for me. I decided to try it, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.

Testimonials From Patients

Here are some patient testimonials I came across which really helped in my decision to give EBT a try. Listening to the way some of these patients described their symptoms helped me realize that there are others out there who experience some of the things I was experiencing. More importantly, it also gave me the hope that there might actually be a treatment out there that can help. Please note that I do not know any of these patients and have no experience with any of the doctors in these videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3zEgjVRcCk&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=79

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8XL-30qlQ&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwyfTboWQ2g&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=94

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-KkkKsoNkQ&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=95

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKSuarvxhjs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRk8TG2HM8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q7W_pR3nG0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxot_qOg_84

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlCdzXoWEJQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Dnw-ljwZs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9jIvSvqSZg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGwCFu__8kE&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=68

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caT-1CsZTRg&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=69

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NhtLlU8moY&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=73

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y04zvpboqEQ&list=PL7fBbX96gUmlZxqXfyeI6PYWXxAujW3Wk&index=76

The TBI Connection

I started wondering if there was any possible connection between Endonasal Balloon Therapy and TBI. Since I started seeing drastic improvements after receiving EBT and a lot of my symptoms resembled those of TBI survivors, I couldn’t help but wonder if EBT could potentially help other survivors of TBI as well.

While there are no studies to confirm or reject this possibility, there are practitioners of EBT who claim that it can help those with post concussive syndrome and symptoms of TBI. More importantly, I have come across some testimonials from patients who have had their TBI symptoms improved after trying EBT. I came across these testimonials while seeking an answer for my own issues, so as with anything, I try to be as objective as possible and completely scrutinize every word of these testimonials. The way and intimacy in which these patients speak of their symptoms can only be from patients who understand what it truly feels like. These testimonials helped me a lot in my own decision to try EBT.

Experiencing the treatment has only left me wondering how many TBI survivors may benefit from EBT. If there are any TBI survivors who have experience with EBT and want to share their story, it would be greatly appreciated.

The Different “Brands” of Endonasal Balloon Therapy

As mentioned earlier in the post, there are many different names that EBT goes by. Each name is the result of the practitioner or doctor adding or changing something to EBT and calling it their own. Here are the main ones and the differences:

Endonasal Balloon Therapy- This is the original form of the therapy which involves inflating the balloon in one sinus cavity on each side of the nose for a total of two inflations out of the six sinus cavities. This is known as one treatment. The doctor may or may not perform 4 consecutive treatments to complete a series. A series is generally performed once a month for 4-6 series which then concludes the need for EBT.

Bilateral Nasal Specifics- Involves inflating the balloon in each of the six sinus cavities one after another. This is believed to be less specific than the other forms which inflate the balloon in one sinus cavity per side. It generally consists of one treatment only and is not performed in a series.

Functional Cranial Release- Is the development of Dr. John Lieurance, ND, DC, BS, DABCN and is a combination of EBT and Functional Neurology, which is a Chiropractic specialty. There are more specific functional neurological tests performed which are supposedly able to provide better results. Treatment generally consists of 4 treatments per series. The doctor is located in Florida and charges $2,500 per series.

Neuro Cranial Restructuring (NCR)- This is the largest of all of them, with the most number of practitioners. It was started by Dr. Dean Howell, ND who originally learned the EBT. NCR also specifically identifies the specific cavity/cavities to be inflated and completes a 4 treatment series. NCR claims to be the original and best, but through personal research however, I find this to be a very subjective claim. NCR is based on EBT which came first, and there is no concrete information on what makes them better other than what they say. I have no personal experience with NCR so I can’t comment on its efficacy, but as a matter of full disclosure, I think patients need to understand the full picture, not just what the organization with an obvious vested interest wants the patient to think. The NCR doctor I consulted with in the NY area charges $1,000 for a 4 treatment series.

Dural Cranial Nasal Release Procedures (DCNRP)- DCNRP is the development of Dr. Bashline, DC, who has been practicing EBT for over 48 years. DCNRP also identifies the individual sinus cavities that need to be inflated and inflates one sinus cavity per side. In addition to EBT, DCNRP incorporates a Dural Stretch which is designed to facilitate better results with the Nasal Release. The Dural Stretch creates a vector stretch of the Upper Trapezius which pulls on the occiput, which then pulls on the sphenoid via the sphenobasilar joint, helping release the sphenoid. The stretch is similar to the stretch which is performed during Cranial Release Technique (CRT) which as a standalone seperate technique performed by other practitioners. While CRT is usually performed on its own with good results however, DCNRP incorporates the stretch with the Nasal Release for an exponentially more powerful release. Dr. Bashline practices in both Ohio and New York and charges $500 for a 4 treatment series. The 4 day treatments can take place once a day over a period of 4 days or 2 treatments per day over 2 days.

Other Techniques- There are also various other practitioners and doctors who perform the some form of EBT. When done properly, almost any variation of the procedure should provide significant results. The key is to ensure that it is based on EBT which aims to free the sphenoid bone by gently inflating a small balloon in the nasal sinus cavity/cavities. Furthermore, targeted inflations in one or two of the sinus cavities appears to be more effective than inflating all the sinus cavities. I would also highly suggest working with someone who does 4 treatments simultaneously in a series. This is shown to be the most effective in producing a change in the body.

The Next Step

EBT is the most powerful structural technique I have come across and is the one thing that was able to help me transform my own well-being. It was the one thing that helped me accelerate my progress tremendously and help me finally get over the hump and on the road to feeling better. All accounts I’ve encountered indicate similar results.

So for all the benefits of the treatment, I completely understand how daunting of a prospect it must be to try something that has no accepted scientific backing, and is based purely on context and anecdote. I offer my reasoning to show how I arrived at my conclusion, but I realize how shallow that logic is. I guess I had no other choice since I was desperate. I don’t know what the right answer is. All I can do is offer everything I’ve learned in the hopes that it will help you make the most informed decision possible. As with anything else, take in as much information on it as you can so that you can make the most educated decision possible.

I wish you the best on your journey.