Bowen Technique - Gentle yet very effective!
By Tracy Webb
Bowen Technique
Gentle yet very effective!
The Bowen Technique has recently received a lot of positive publicity. It is no wonder! In a relatively short time Bowen has been recognised by Doctors, and the House of Lords debate on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the Government’s response, made it clear that Bowen Therapy could now be made widely available on the NHS. All this recognition is not surprising when you consider the following.
Bowen has been widely publicised and researched with a white paper been written on the benefits of Bowen and frozen shoulder, and a recent survey showed surprising results for migraine sufferers. The Bowen Technique National Migraine Research Program was carried out over a six-week period. The Migraine volunteers received three Bowen treatments in the first two weeks of the programme, followed by a four-week Observational Period.
The results were dramatic, with 79.5% of the volunteers showing a significant improvement in their symptoms. Of the 39 participants:
· 31 Migraine Volunteers showed a positive response:
· 11 experienced a decrease in frequency of attacks;
· 9 experienced a decrease in severity of attacks;
· 11 experienced a decrease in severity and frequency of their migraines.
More recently, it was reported that an England International Rugby player, who was having problems with his knee, has benefited from Bowen Technique. After reportedly being 'passed from pillar to post', a Bowen practitioner managed to get him back on his feet and playing again after only one treatment.
The beauty of Bowen is that it is very gentle and is therefore suitable for young and old, chronic and acute cases and everything else in-between. The treatment is very unusual in the way it is administered. Tom Bowen developed the technique and it is therefore named after him. He treated several thousands of people during his life time and on several occasions he would treat more than one person at the same time. During the gaps between each client, he noticed that changes had occurred within the muscle tensions and realised the benefit of giving the body a chance to realign and heal itself. For this reason there are several occasions when the practitioner will leave the room to allow for this process to happen. It may feel a bit odd to begin with, but when you feel the benefits you will be amazed!
Bowen tends to have optimum results when received over two or three treatments, at weekly intervals. This is often enough to receive lasting relief. The first treatment will include a consultation where a full case history is recorded. The treatment can be carried out fully clothed and lasts anything between 40 minutes and 1 hour. As mentioned before the practitioner will leave the client to allow the body to rest and absorb the moves that have been applied. To receive maximum benefit it is advised that Bowen is not mixed with any other physical therapies e.g. massage, shiatsu, reflexology physiotherapy, etc.
When there is a 'problem' in the body, muscles are generally held in tension and compensations set in, building up a serious of other problems. Using the Bowen Technique the muscles are released by a gentle rolling movement which allows the tensions to relax, the blood to start flowing freely again and the organs of the body to function more effectively. The Bowen Technique addresses the body as a whole. Most people don’t relate a twisted ankle to hip problems or a problem in the neck to the tingling fingers or other symptoms they also experience. The bodies integrity is compromised when there is any structural damage and The Bowen Technique helps to address this by allowing the body to reorganise and reset itself.
Case Studies
A - Back Pain - 2 treatments
A 40 year old male who has had back pain and stiffness since bending to pick up a table 10 years ago. He had not suffered from back pain previously. He could not stand for longer that half an hour as it is too painful.
After one treatment he experienced a couple of days completely pain free then it started to return but not as bad as before. After a second treatment he has been pain free for approx. 6 months, despite returning to compete in cycling races and running in a triathlon. He does experience some stiffness in his back from time to time but apart from that he is very pleased with the results and attends maintenance sessions every six to eight weeks.
B - A rare muscle wasting disease (Avascular Necrosis)
This case study shows that Bowen helps the rare conditions as well as the day to day muscular aches and pain. This client is in his late 30’s. He has a rare condition which causes his muscles to waste and die. When he asked me for help, he had spent nearly 12 months on an inflatable mattress in his living room. Modern medicine had not been able to help him and he was waiting for a hip replacement. B was is constant pain and took morphine regularly.
B had no feeling in his feet and his toes were black. He could not move his toes or feel any sensations in them. B was in pain everytime I touched him. After doing the least amount possible I left him and hoped he would receive some benefits. B reported back to me with some fantastic news - after one hour of me working on him he had feelings in his feet and his toes were not black anymore! Week on week we made steady progress and B received his first hip replacement and now has a much fuller life. Regular treatments help to keep his muscles strong and respondent.
Bowen does not claim to treat a particular symptom, it treats the whole body and particular symptoms are reduced or eliminated as a result. In my experience, Bowen has been highly beneficial for pain relief and a general feeling of well-being. Here are a few examples:
Back Pain, Asthma,
Neck and shoulder pain/tension, Migraines,
Knee damage/pain, Arthritis,
Hip and Pelvis imbalances, Stress,
Clicking Jaw - TMJ problems, Carpal Tunnel
For further information please contact Tracy Webb 0778 687 3663 or 01926 885529.
T. Webb
This article was posted by Tracy Webb
