Bowen Technique

Bowen Therapy

Background:
” After moving house in 2009 and doing a lot of lifting, I started to get severe lower back pain which was referring down my right leg manifesting itself as a constant throbbing in my knee and pins and needles in my foot.

At the time I worked for a company which had private medical cover so I was sent for a scan at the Spire hospital, Stretton. The scan showed that I had a L5-S1 perforated and herniated disc which was pushing onto my sciatic nerve.

The consultant recommended that I have physiotherapy which would be paid for under the medical cover. This physio was, at best, only slightly effective.

Over the next 3 years, my pain increased to the extent that I could no longer sit on the sofa at home, I found it excruciating to drive, I was waking up very early in the morning (3am) to lie on the floor because the pain was so bad, and I could not sit at my desk in work for longer than 10 minutes before I had to stand up and walk around.

I was getting quite fraught at this point, it was actually debilitating. Before the injury I was very active and flexible: I used to teach Southern Shaolin Kung Fu which I could no longer do, I could no longer go to the gym and so my health was deteriorating which had the knock on consequence of affecting mental health too – looking back, I was probably quite depressed.

Because I was in so much pain for so long, I was getting more and more difficult to live with due to lack of sleep, depression and the reduction in my quality of life. I was at the point of going to the doctors and requesting surgery to replace the disc – this was not ideal due to the complications associated with it like paralysis, it actually not reducing the pain etc.

By chance, in December 2012, my wife and I were watching Jonathan Ross and he was interviewing Bear Grylls who was talking about his life in the paratroopers. He explained that he had a severe back injury when landing after a parachute jump and that he some treatment which cured it. This led us to look on the internet about which treatment he had and we found out it was Bowen.

As a last ditch attempt to reduce my pain and hopefully not requiring me to go for surgery, we looked in the local area for Bowen therapists, and found Sheila Hind at Cheshire Natural Health so I booked myself in.

The first session involved an assessment – both verbal and physical – by Sheila to help her understand my level of pain and how best to treat me. She then started using the technique on me. At the end of the session, Sheila recommended I wait four weeks before coming back just to see how I got on. Sheila said that I may see initial improvement which may tail off.

A week after this first session, I was amazed to find that I was sleeping right through and not waking up in pain, I could sit on the sofa at home and my general wellbeing had improved by approximately 50%. The pain had not gone but it had significantly reduced. Towards the end of the fourth week I started to feel a bit more discomfort.
After the second session, I was approximately 80% better and could actually return to gentle exercise at the gym and very gentle stretching which gave me a mental boost with the added advantage of sleeping well, being able to drive without any pain and being able to sit on the sofa.

After the third session, I peaked at 100% better for about a week and fell back to 80% better where I stayed until my fourth session. Between the third and fourth session, Sheila recommended I gave it six weeks as opposed to four to see how I got on.

I am now on my sixth session with Sheila and have not gone below 90% better. My quality of life has improved significantly in terms of sleeping, activity, driving, and sitting at my desk in work. I feel indebted to Sheila and what she has done for me and I can’t overstate enough how much her skill at Bowen therapy has helped. My injury will never go away unless I have surgery so the best I can do is manage it. Sheila has given me the best way I have found of doing this and I will continue to go to her as and when I need Bowen.

Without a moments’ hesitation I would recommend Sheila Hind for Bowen therapy. ”

Stephen Hare

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Pamela: Comparing the three months before starting the therapies with the three following months, I find the differences amazing. I felt on a plateau, struggling to return to work and to increase the hours I worked to full time. My energy levels were low, I was frustrated and the discomfort in my arm was restrictive. In the three months since starting the therapy I have increased the hours I work back to full time and still have enough energy to enjoy the weekend. Feeling in my arm has returned and the previous discomfort has lessened considerably. I recommend it to all my friends and colleagues whenever I can. 22/4/2005.

Donna: I ache for a few days after the treatment, as if I have exercised then the aching goes and I feel much ‘freer’ than previously. The initial treatments helped me to relax and the benefits of this were an improvement in concentration and energy levels. This continued to be there even after my operation in December and I also began to feel uplifted in myself. After my “all clear” the physical benefits in my leg became obvious as the treatments were adjusted to focus on recovery there. 23/4/2005

Bob: For the last two years Bob has had severe angina with pain occurring over many hours. He has a “TENS” machine which he finds very helpful in pain relief for his angina attacks. He also has constant shoulder pain due to cervical spondylosis. He is unable to do any form of physical work and finds this very depressing.

Bob came for his sixth treatment in late April but went home without it; don’t try to fix what isn’t broken. He looked happy and relaxed and reported “My shoulder pain has virtually gone – I’m down from 10 to 2 pain killers a day and I’m taking the TENS machine back to the Doctors. I can now work- I laid paving slabs over the weekend. !” Bob was advised not to over do things and to gradually build up his activities being careful not to rush things. Although he enjoys his treatments he was delighted to be well enough not to need one.

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5 Treatments for Stress, back neck pain
” I was first introduced to Bowen therapy by a friend at work. She was experiencing hip problems and said that she found that the technique worked in alleviating the pain and aiding her well-being. At the time I was suffering with an old recurring whip-lash injury. With a little caution, I decided to give it a whirl and after one session I found a marked improvement. After a return visit my symptoms completely disappeared.

The Bowen therapist that I had seen previously unfortunately no longer practises, so the next time I required treatment turned to the Bowen therapist at Cheshire Natural Health(CNH). This time I had just experienced a rather stressful period in my life, which caused my neck injury to return and further back complications.

The Bowen treatment experienced at CNH was far better than my previous treatments. The therapist treated me over a few months and my general health, stress, neck and back problems improved and I started to feel normal person again.

Bowen is a great therapy that works with your whole body – and stimulates the body to heal itself. It is a gentle, but effective therapy. After a treatment session, it may be a few days before you feel the full effects, but the effects are noticeable in the problem area and your whole body feels restored.

I strongly recommend Bowen therapy at Cheshire Natural Health and so much so that family and friends also attend and all agree – it’s simply the best form of treatment. ”

Julie Goodwin
11-02-09