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02:07:09
Back Pain and Complementary Therapies
This week I've treated 9 clients with back pain. Several of these were in my clinic and today at a christening, Jenny had pain in her back and down one leg for the last 3 weeks and Danielle who is very pregnant, had painful lower back and abdomen. I treated Jenny with Bowen technique as she sat next to me on a chair, drifted off happily and some time later was up dancing! Danielle sat on the sofa and I gave her a short reflexology treatment on her feet.
Last month, NICE, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommended that people with chronic lower back pain should be prescribed a course of acupuncture, exercise classes or a treatment such as massage if their symptoms persist for six weeks or more. More than 2.5 million of us consult our GPs about back pain each year and the NHS spends more than £1.6 billion treating us! It is the first time that the institute has officially recommended complementary therapies for use on the NHS. NICE, who look at the cost effectiveness of treatments, say that considerable savings would be made by doing less xrays, ultrasounds and scans and by giving these treatments instead.
Back pain can be caused by many factors, from poor posture and arthritis to slipped discs. It can also be a symptom of something more sinister so I always recommend a visit to your doctor first who can refer you on if you need more help. However, you may need to find yourself a therapist and people often don’t know where to start as so many therapies claim to treat back pain. It can be difficult to know which will work best for you.
For 15 years I’ve used Bowen technique, reflexology and massage with my clients with a very high success rate. These therapies allow you to relax deeply, free-up tight, achy muscles and allow your body to realign itself. Even a good massage will work wonders, particularly if a problem is related to stress and tight muscles.
My client, Graeme who had fractured his spine years ago, commented that he felt “an inch and a half taller” straight after his first Bowen session and freer than he had in years. Rob came with painful, chronic sciatica and experienced immediate relief and learnt ways to help himself when it flares up. I also made him his own blend of essential oils to rub on to help relax muscles, reduce inflammation that irritates the sciatic nerve and speed up healing.
Sometimes clients are beyond my help and I would refer you quickly to a physiotherapist or back to your doctor. I’ve found physiotherapists are the best people to teach you exercises to strengthen your back. Pilates (when taught in small groups by a good instructor) is wonderful to teach your “core muscles” to give you deep inner strength and make back less vulnerable. Ask around for a recommendation from friends or family if your doctor can’t refer you.
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