Boob-a-laxer? Staying abreast of the Still Point Inducer
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 3:47 PM
By Diane Mapes, contributing writer
What it is: "Still Point Inducer” ($21.95)
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| Relaxtheback.com |
What it claims to do: According to the manufacturer, the new and improved Still Point Inducer (SPI) will put you into “a state of deep relaxation,” relieve your headache and muscle pain, enhance your immune system efficiency, and encourage your body’s natural health. The SPI does this by reaching “soothing still points similar to those of CranioSacral Therapy,” an alt-med approach that’s been touted on everything from Oprah to ESPN.
My experience: I tend to work on a computer for 12 hours a day which can often result in blindingly bad tension headaches, so I was intrigued by the Still Point Inducer’s claims of easing headache and muscle pain. What I wasn’t prepared for, though, was the SPI’s appearance. It basically looks like a pair of small red rubber breasts. The idea is to rest the back of your head onto these rosy mounds for 10-15 minutes, up to four times a day. And let me tell you, those babies are firm, even on the “soft model” I tested.
Since I work at home, it was relatively easy to take breaks during the day to use my SPI (cubicle-dwellers may want to hit the conference room). The manufacturer recommends that you lie down on a comfortable surface such as a sofa, bed or floor and place the SPI right at the juncture of your neck and skull (a YouTube video shows you how to do it if you can’t figure it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGCRpUgJWfo). I used the floor -- directly in front of the TV, natch -- and spent my 10-15 minutes of “meditation” listening to the Weather Channel and trying to come up with a better handle for this awkwardly named product: Breast Rest? Boob-a-laxer?
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| Amazon.com |
I’m not a yoga or meditation kind of gal (drinking tea is pushing it for me), so I have to admit the first couple of sessions with the SPI were interminable. I was bored, bored, bored, plus those balls pushing into the back of my skull felt really uncomfortable. But the more I used my SPI, the easier it got. And I definitely felt something interesting going on after each use. The back of my head was tingly, as if I were finally getting a bit of blood flow into an area that had been cut off for months (years?). I had a sneaky hunch I was finally experiencing that odd phenomenon known as “relaxation.”
What the experts say: The SPI was developed by the Upledger Institute, whose founding father, Dr. John E. Upledger, developed CranioSacral Therapy (CST). I still can’t quite figure out what that’s all about (energy cysts? somatoemotional release?), but I don’t think you need to speak fluent cranio to use the Still Point Inducer.
“It’s basically a stress management tool. And it can really help with neck tension which a lot of people in our culture have since so many of us sit at a computer all day,” according to Angi Orton, a licensed massage therapist in Portland.
As for its claims about enhancing your immune system efficiency, Dr. Christopher Wilson, professor and chair of the Department of Immunity at the University of Washington, says there’s “no plausible explanation for a direct beneficial effect of treatment with this device and greater immunity or improved function of the immune system.” But adds there is evidence “albeit of varying quality and nature, that chronic stress may have subtle but likely real effects on immune function.”
Bottom line: I’m still a little dubious about whether this puppy can pump up your immune system (as Dr. Wilson says, “Wouldn't it be great if we could all be free of disease for only $22?”), but I do think the Still Point Inducer can provide relief for those of us who tend to hunch over our computers for hours on end. Whether that’s due to some craniosacral magic or simply because you’re getting up and stretching out your tension-filled body at various points throughout the day, is hard to say. But I will say that I was able to fend off a few tension headaches (not to mention feel much more informed on the nation’s weather) by resting my weary head in its firm, nurturing bosom.
