Wise-Health.
“Primum non nocere – First do no harm“ Hippocrates
“Primum non nocere – First do no harm“ Hippocrates
“The most relaxing and enjoyable of any treatments I have previously tried.”
The Bowen technique is a soft tissue remedial therapy, named after its innovator Tom Bowen. The technique involves the therapist using fingers or thumbs to move over muscle, ligament tendon and fascia in various parts of the body. The work is very subtle, relaxing and gentle involving no hard or prolonged pressure. During a session the client will lie on a therapy table or bed, although the work can be effectively carried out with the client in a chair.
The most common presentation is back pain and here Bowen excels. The average number of treatments would be two or three for most therapists. There are always going to be exceptions to any rule, and certain people will need further or even on-going treatments. Frozen shoulders are a particular favourite as are neck pain, hayfever, asthma and migraines. Sports injury is a field of remedial therapy that is becoming very aware of The Bowen Technique. Not only do sportsmen report fewer injuries when treated regularly but they also notice an increase in performance. The Bowen Technique is being used at high levels of sport in this country, with rugby clubs and premiership football clubs showing interest.
While one can see that there are points that are on or very close to acupuncture points, this is not the approach that is taught. Many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine comment on the moves and their relationship to meridian points, but there is nothing consistent enough to draw comparisons. Tom Bowen drew much of his knowledge from books and an understanding of meridian points seems quite probable.
No not really. The treatment can be performed through light clothing and no oils or prolonged pressure is used. At the same time there is no rubbing or friction in the move, which uses the movement of skin to effect a rolling type of action over the muscle.
There are no guarantees here, because everyone responds differently, but on average the number of treatments required for say, a stiff neck or back is around three. Some problems need more treatments and some even less, but what won't happen is that you will be required to have a long course of treatment, only to find that it hasn't helped. Although there are never any promises, you should in most cases start to see change fairly quickly.