His little movements will ease your pains

From the Worcester News, first published Wednesday 6th Jun 2007.

IT is not often people try a complementary therapy and see immediate life-changing effects. In fact, a lot of people try it once, don't notice any difference and so resign themselves to simply putting up with the pain and getting on with it.

National Back Pain Fortnight, which runs until Friday, June 15, intends to show that it does not have to be that way.

One treatment currently making a major difference to back pain sufferers in Worcestershire is the Bowen technique.

Tracy Burnside, of Hanley Swan, said the incredibly gentle treatment - the therapist uses only their thumbs and fingers and makes light rolling movements over muscles and tendons - worked like nothing else.

"I'd been to a chiropractor and found that massages helped. But the pain would always come back," she said. "It never seemed to get much better. Then I had four or five Bowen treatments and instantly felt a huge improvement.

"It's made such a big difference to my life. I was feeling stressed all the time because I had this constant pain but I'm more relaxed now."

Mrs Burnside said the first time she had the treatment it was so gentle, she was doubtful it made any difference. But it did.

Richard Taylor, another Bowen convert, agreed.

The 43-year-old, also from Hanley Swan, had lived with spine pain and related problems for more than 15 years before discovering the treatment.

"After just three sessions it improved dramatically, to the point that I'm exercising again without any real reaction in my back.

"The treatment is actually very relaxing, which alone makes it different from the others I'd tried."

Now, thanks to Malvern therapist Tim Willcocks, others have the opportunity of testing out the Bowen Technique to see if it helps them.

As part of back pain fortnight, which began on Friday, June 1, and runs until Friday, June 15, Tim, who is based at the Malvern Natural Health Centre, is taking part in a project to gauge results on how successful the complementary therapy can be.

The survey follows a pilot project undertaken last year which showed that nearly every sufferer experienced either complete relief or a marked improvement in their symptoms after just three treatments.

"Nearly every Bowen therapist can point to examples of the relief that the technique has provided for people affected by back pain, sometimes with a very significant effect on their lives," Tim said.

"We believe there are potentially thousands more people who it could help if only they knew about it.

"This project will be used to promote awareness nationally."

Tim is looking for people with back problems who have never experienced the Bowen technique to try the therapy as part of the national trial.

Special rates for a course of three treatments are being offered throughout June.

To contact Tim call 01684 567721, 01684 893238 or 07736 736068.

Just what is the Bowen technique?

The Bowen technique is a gentle, natural, non-invasive therapy.

The therapist, using only thumbs and fingers, makes gentle rolling movements over muscles and tendons at precise points on the body.

The process releases energy, sending impulses to the brain to trigger the body's own healing systems. The Bowen practitioner is a catalyst, setting the stimulus in motion for the body to heal itself. Self healing can often be achieved with minimal outside influence.

Thomas A Bowen (1916-1982) developed the technique in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. After serving in the Second World War, Mr Bowen became interested in ways to alleviate human suffering. He began to notice that when he made certain moves on the body, it had particular effects.

The technique is unique in that it was developed without Bowen having any previous training in any modality or discipline; in fact, he frequently stated that his work was, simply a gift from God. Over a period of several years he developed the system as it is used today.

Apart from back pain, Bowen can also help a wide range of health issues including chronic asthma, frozen shoulder, whiplash, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome and different fertility problems.

The precise location of each Bowen move correlates markedly with the latest research on the meridian energy system, acupoints and trigger point therapy.

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