Resolving Pain and RSI with Bowen Therapy effectively

Speedy recovery with Bowen Therapy                   

Bowen Therapy was developed by and named after the Australian, Tom Bowen (1916 – 1982). He started his therapeutic career by working as a masseur with junior football clubs in Geelong, Victoria, and treated the general public at his home after hours.

Early in his career Bowen discovered that he had what can only be described as an extreme hypersensitivity of the fingers and hands, which apparently enabled him to feel nerve transmission and energy. This unusual talent allowed him to locate blockages in the nervous and muscular systems of the clients he treated. He also had a discerning eye for variations in the muscular surface tension of his clients' bodies.

Bowen became famous for being able to cure the ‘incurable’, and find solutions where none seemed possible. He treated everybody in the same manner, whether they were poor street drunkards or wealthy and powerful. He devoted a considerable amount of his personal time helping people – even making house calls in the evening – and continued to treat people until near his death.

WHAT IS BOWEN THERAPY?

Bowen Therapy is a specific series of muscle and connective tissue movements designed to treat a wide range of problems and injuries. It addresses every system in the body – internal organs as well as the musculo-skeletal structure. The gentle, powerful moves send neurological impulses to the brain which is then given time to process the information before feeding impulses back so that the body is able to realign itself. Completing this feedback loop is essential for allowing the body to restore its own natural balance.

During a Bowen Therapy treatment, the practitioner will step away from you for about two to five minutes in order to allow the transmitted energy to flow through the respective meridian pathways. After that, he or she will apply further moves.

Bowen Therapy assists in accessing the body’s natural feedback system. It is this system which monitors the state of each muscle, releasing tension within the muscles. All the cells in the body hold memories of events, including sites of injuries, so the therapy assists in removing any energy blockages. Many of these are created by emotional issues, which have accumulated in the physical body, causing tension, pain and disease. The therapy provides a powerful stimulus to the circulation in the joints, allowing the muscles attached to the joints to relax, which, in turn, encourages healing.

Bowen Therapy can be received with ease and efficiency even whilst
 wearing loose clothing.

 WHAT DOES BOWEN THERAPY FEEL LIKE?

There is no forceful manipulation, just a gentle cross-fibre manoeuvering of a muscle, tendon or ligament, which is a pleasant feeling to receive. I have observed that most people become deeply relaxed, and some even fall asleep. Some people experience sensations of moving energy (which can be quite subtle), feelings like ‘pins and needles’, of muscles being gently stretched, or a feeling of tightness being lifted away.

Bowen Therapy is unique in that it can be administered to a person fully clothed, to newborn babies, to people who are aged and frail, to those with acute injuries and chronic disorders, with rarely any discomfort being experienced. If there is a highly inflamed area, there may be a small amount of discomfort, but this will free up after one application while the body's energy is released, allowing the second treatment to be experienced without discomfort. Bowen therapists do not work on an inflamed area, but around it.

WHAT CAN BOWEN THERAPY BE USED FOR?

Bowen Therapy is excellent for the work environment, as it can be administered without removing any clothing and can assist in prevention or treatment of RSI and back/neck strain/injuries that often occur in the workplace. Corporations are now showing more interest in the therapy as they see the benefits of creating a healthier and injury-free work environment, more productivity and a greater sense of wellbeing in their staff.

The range of conditions that may be helped includes:

·       Sports and accident injuries (chronic/acute) – bursitis and whiplash

·       Frozen shoulders/tennis elbow, carpel tunnel syndrome

·       Stress, anxiety and emotional issues

·       Neck and head tension, headaches, migraine, ear/eye problems

·       Musculo-skeletal pain and hip/pelvic imbalance

·       Organic complaints – respiratory, digestive, menstrual and hormonal

·       Auto-immune disorders – fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis

·       Infertility and other reproductive problems

·       Acute/chronic fatigue, low immunity

·       Strokes and recovery from them

·       Accelerating healing during colds and flu

·       Aiding general feelings of discomfort or sickness

·       Assisting emotional issues around addiction

·       Releasing stress

·       Overcoming insomnia and improving quality of sleep

·       Many other health disorders

HOW WELL MIGHT I FEEL AFTER TREATMENT?

Bowen Therapy assists in the restoration of the structural integrity of the body. You can expect an improvement in posture and in lymphatic and venous drainage along with arterial blood flow. You will also experience a very relaxed feeling – most people enjoy a wonderful night's sleep after a treatment. Your body will feel freer and more aligned.

Since Bowen treatments free up blocked energy (known as chi), they also help people overcome emotional issues in their lives by creating a positive state of mind, clarity of focus and confidence. Bowen allows people to let go of attachment to outgrown issues and attitudes. It can be an excellent treatment for anyone feeling sadness, depression, anxiety, stress or grief.

After a treatment, the benefits will continue to be integrated in the body over the next five days.

Unlike chiropractic – which is manipulative – Bowen Therapy can treat the same health issues and injuries by allowing the body to draw upon its own innate intelligence to heal without any added force.

I have witnessed the power of this amazing therapy, including seeing a woman make a complete recovery from carpel tunnel syndrome in just six weeks (prior to this she had been advised to have immediate surgery).

More speedy recoveries are highlighted here:

Two men who were experiencing excruciating bursitis pain around the elbows and knee joints, respectively, both fully recovered within five to six weeks.

Another man presented with very weak wrists caused by past injuries. He was using a keyboard at work which was causing him immense and ongoing pain (he had also received prior advice to undergo surgery). After treatment, the strength returned to his wrists and forearms.

Being unique, we all respond in different ways to different therapies. We find that some people who experience similar disorders will have full recovery with different numbers of treatments.

Another example is man who came to see me after a fall on a construction site. He landed on steel poles during construction of foundations and so was examined to see if any organs had received damage from the impact.  Fortunately that was ok. He had received 10 physio sessions at 2 per week over 5 weeks.  Since he was nonresident they could not offer more treatments.  He knew nothing of Bowen therapy.  On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being excruciating he told me he was a 10+.  This was after many treatments!  I treated him and he returned the next week saying he felt much better a 4 on the scale.  I treated again and he returned the 3^rd week saying he was a zero!  However he had a crook neck having taken on a waiter job and holding the trays awkwardly.  This man was a quick responder. 

One lady had failed to have a menstrual cycle in over 1 year.  I treated her once with Bowen and gave her herbs to balance the hormonal system.  Prior to her 2^nd treatment she rang to say she had her first period and was completely stunned!

Another lady had been in pain for almost 3 years with prolapse after child birth. The baby had been quite large and put strain on the ligaments.  No doctor had been able to help her.  They simply told her to take pain killers and said it might go away, or perhaps consider hysterectomy!   I treated her with Bowen therapy, gave her herbs to normalize her hormonal system and with ONE treatment all the pain was resolved!  Months later she still had no pain and felt fantastic.  Bowen therapy rebalanced her body.

So if you suffer any pain, injury or even what we refer to as Organic issues (organ/system imbalance resulting in digestive, respiratory, reproductive problems etc), then come along and receive Bowen therapy.

If you receive Bowen Therapy, you are usually advised to receive a follow-up treatment a week later. With injuries, sometimes the treatments are taken weekly for a period of between three and six weeks, depending on the extent of the injury. Fortnightly visits are recommended after the second treatment until resolved. Positive results are often achieved in a short space of time and people often return for maintenance treatments once every four to six weeks. However some Bowen therapy practitioners may work a little different here re timeframes.  The above is what I have found to be most helpful.  Regular visits initially speed up recovery and encourage the person to follow through.

HOW CORTISONE AFFECTS BOWEN THERAPY

You should be aware that cortisone can interfere with many types of bodywork, including Bowen Therapy. It has a damaging effect on tissue. Some therapists I have spoken to agree, one saying the following:

“I have a patient who has had cortisone treatment around the heel for Achilles tendonitis, which is very resistant to treatment. I suspect this did some further damage. Cortisone weakens the area for three weeks, so people should be advised not to do anything (including receive treatments) during this time.”

Another quote comes from a book called The Bowen Technique: The Inside Story, written by John Wilks, Bowen therapist and teacher. It reads as follows:

Drugs

"Conductivity along the lines of collagen fibers is adversely affected by certain substances, for example, anesthetics. Many Bowen practitioners will have noticed that it is much more difficult to get good results if a patient has had a cortisone injection, for example, or is taking muscle relaxants.

Cortisone in particular has a fairly devastating effect on fascia and tends to create areas of density and lack of fluidity in the system. Some practitioners have found that using homeopathic cortisone is helpful in counteracting the effects of this drug".

So, if you visit a medical practitioner who offers you Bowen Therapy in conjunction with a cortisone injection, it may well impact on the effectiveness of the therapy and you could be disappointed with the results. In this case, I would be inclined to receive the therapy without the cortisone over a period of three to four weeks and see how your body responds. You may well find that you do not need to receive a pain-killing drug like cortisone. Alternatively I recommend homeopathic remedies.

Other testimonials can be found on my website:  lyncraven.com  Please contact me to arrange an appointment if you are experiencing some type of pain and unresolved RSI.  The latter I have observed has responded very well to Bowen therapy with a quicker recovery.

Call: 0403 231 804 or email lyncraven@bigpond.com