Many of my clients come to the clinic looking for relief from their symptoms of arthritis. Is Bowen going to ‘magic away’ their arthritis? Of course not! But what it is very good at doing in my experience, is improving flexibility and range of movement, lowering pain levels and generally giving a better quality of life.
Does your arthritis mean that you are you spending your life saying “I can’t do that anymore?” That is what this client used to say prior to discovering Bowen and now no longer feels like a spectator in life!
“Arthritis in the left knee was diagnosed and confirmed by X Ray several years ago. I had physio sessions at the Surgery in two blocks and then was told to just continue with the exercises, which I do, along with Pilates. However having been active for most of my life I did not like the restrictions the …arthritis imposed. When it reached the stage I could no longer deny I was limping and also found I was going down the stairs one step at a time, I looked for further help. My daughter had heard positive feedback of treatment given by a Bowen Therapist. We knew little about it but I was keen to try and so I went to Jules.
Jules inspires confidence and trust; it is clear she is professional and well informed and she also pushes the boundaries to increase her skill and knowledge. The relaxed atmosphere, friendly approach and sense of humour are there too along with thoroughness which means she checks more than just the knee.
Initially I had weekly treatment and am now on what I describe as my maintenance programme once every five weeks. I can run up and downstairs and participate in activities (“football”, obstacle courses, French tennis….) which my young gymnast granddaughter loves doing and so do I. Not being a spectator is important to me: Jules and Bowen Therapy have helped take the ‘I can’t do that now’ from my life.
I do not know how it works “like magic ” I have said on occasions but it certainly has for me.” L Murphy
So what is arthritis? Arthritis literally means inflammation and is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in joints of the body.
Arthritis affects up to 10 million people in the UK of all ages. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (a progressive degenerative joint disease characterised by the breakdown of joint cartilage) and rheumatoid arthritis (a systemic disease characterised by the inflammation of the membranes lining the joint, which causes pain, stiffness, warmth, swelling and sometimes severe joint damage). Other related conditions include Ankylosing spondylitis, Cervical spondylosis, Lupus, Gout, Psoriatic arthritis, Enteropathica arthritis, Reactive arthritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica.
Below is a case study of a client who had been suffering for years with Rheumatoid Arthritis:
R was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2005 which as well as the physical pain, she suffered with fatigue and complete energy ‘crashes’. After only one treatment she was walking straighter and feeling more balanced with a large reduction in pain levels. Following another two treatments R reported she was free of pain and was no longer suffering from the fatigue or energy crashes.
“I have had rheumatoid arthritis since 2005, during that time I have tried various massage therapists, chiropractors and another Bowen therapist, each has given me short term relief. I was first treated by Jules as one of her early case studies in November 2012. One of the areas she treated was my left foot. The rheumatoid first started here and I haven’t been able to walk properly on the ball of that foot since 2005. After one treatment I was able to stand on the ball of my foot without pain, and this is still the case 7 months later. Because of Jules I can now walk properly and not on the edge of my feet. I’ve been on maximum dosage of anti-inflammatories since 2005 and every time I’ve tried to reduce the dosage I’ve ended up in agony. But for the last 3 months I haven’t had to take any.
Jules treated me after I’d twisted my back by over-doing it; painkillers weren’t taking the pain away. I hobbled in to see her and walked out normally.
Will always recommend her to anyone.” R Hume
Recently I have been seeing a client who suffers from Reactive Arthritis, a condition that causes redness and swelling in areas of the body, most commonly the joints, eyes and the urethra, who had a very positive response to Bowen therapy……
“I had 4 sessions of Bowen therapy following a long period of ill health due to acute pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic kidney infections and reactive arthritis. After the first session Jules asked me how I felt and my answer was ‘ridiculously good’! My joints used to be hot to touch, red and swollen due to the arthritis and since Bowen these symptoms have gone and I have no more pain in them at all! It’s also helped control my pelvic pain, increased my energy levels and I haven’t had a kidney infection since my second session which was about a month ago! As an occupational therapy student I wanted to understand what Jules was doing and why it was working-she explained it all to me brilliantly and I cannot recommend her enough. It’s life changing”. Rosie.
And finally Polymyalgia Rheumatica…
“My Name is James Trigg-Dudley and I am 54 years old.
Up until 18 months ago, I was fit and active, doing manual work, working out and cycling 2 or 3 times a week. I’ve always been fit and active, I used to do competitive swimming and Trampoline for England until my late twenties then turned to coaching and Gym instructing.
18 months ago that all changed when I found I was getting severe pain in my upper arms and thigh area and stiffness in the mornings and after periods of inactivity.
The Doctor referred me to a rhuematolagist who diagnosed that I had (PMR) polymyalgia rheumatica and I was put on a course of steroids (Prednisolone), which eased, but did not cure my aches and pains.
Over the course of the last eighteen months I have reduced my steroids when feeling better but then had to put them back up again, when the pain started to get worse again.
Then just before Christmas, my pain returned with a vengeance and I was put back on a high dose of steroids for a week, which eased the pains, but I still had to watch how much work or exercise I done.
Thankfully my Daughter had done some research on Bowen Therapy and knew a couple of people that had had good results with it, and bought me a session for Christmas, which was the best thing she could have done for me.
I had my first session the week after Christmas, “Which I must admit I was not that impressed with” as I just laid for an hour on a massage bed in albeit a lovely room with Jules coming in the room for short periods and very gently touching parts of my body, then leaving me alone for five minutes. But after just three sessions over seven weeks, I am back to doing manual work and even working out in the Gym, I have also reduced my steroids to 5 mg, and hope to be off of them completely over the next few months.
I am not entirely pain free, but I have been pushing myself quite hard, so expect some pain, but so far so good.
I intend to keep up my therapy sessions over the coming months to hopefully control the PMR, rather than it control me”.
So if you are fed up with your arthritis controlling you, why not try a short course of Bowen therapy to see if you can take control?
Interested in finding out more? Contact me by calling 07709 452412 or email me here.
