At A Bowen Clinic and other journeys, I treat back pain frequently, and with great success.  There is not much worse than severe back pain.  It becomes all consuming, and it seems like it will never end.  For my clients that do not have significant spinal degeneration, do as I suggest and adopt the gentle exercises that I recommend, I see about an 80% success rate for back pain.  For those with significant spinal degeneration we generally find that their back pain can be reduced by 50-80%.

There are 24 vertebrae in your spinal column, each separated from the other by a spinal disc.  The function of the spinal disc is to act as a shock absorber and to provide stability to the spinal column whilst allowing slight range of motion in all directions in the back and neck. 

Each disc is made up of a fibrous coating surrounding a soft jelly-like substance.  It is like a cushion between the vertebrae.  The outer layer hydraulically seals the jelly on the inside, evenly distributing the pressure and force between the vertebrae.  The discs are tightly attached to the vertebrae, and cannot physically slip in any way.

If a vertebra is pulled slightly out of alignment due to the force from an accident or muscles that are too tight, the disc will protrude slightly from between the vertebrae.  The pain when this happens can be excruciating, and is commonly known as a "slipped disc", but more correctly identified as a bulging disc. The part of the disc involved in a bulging disc is the outer fibrous layer only and it remains in tact. 

A herniated disc occurs when a crack in the outer layer allows some of the jelly-like substance to leak out of the disc.  This is commonly known as a "ruptured disc", even though the whole disc does not rupture.  A herniated disc may start off as a bulging disc, and the continual force from the vertebrae above and below causes a perforation in the outer layer of the disc.  

In general a herniated disc is likely to cause more pain because it generally protrudes further and is more likely to irritate nerve roots.  The irritation might be from compression of the nerve or, much more commonly, inflammation of the nerve root in contact with the released jelly-like substance of the disc.  The latter seems to have a longer recovery time.

The confusing thing is that the resulting pain from each is inconsistent.  An MRI can indicate that you have a herniated disc or a bulging disc.  Whilst in general a herniated disc is more painful than a bulging disc, some people with MRI evidence of herniated discs have no back pain at all, and some people with MRI evidence of bulging discs experience excruciating pain.  So even though you may have a herniated disc, that may not be the cause of your back pain.

Pain from the bulging or herniated discs can settle down after a few days, and you may never have the problem again.  This indicates that the body can right itself, and to do this it would make sense that it needs to realign the spine in some way.  But some people suffer from this happening on a regular basis, with long recovery periods.

Another cause of herniated disc is Degenerative Disc Disease, which occurs as part of the ageing process when the discs in the spine begin to dry out, thereby losing some of their flexility and shock absorption.  The inner portion of the disc gets smaller, providing less cushioning between the vertebrae, and the outer fibrous layer dries out and cracks, all of which can cause pain.

Bowen assists with bulging and herniated discs in a number of ways:

1. Realigning the spine by working on associated muscles.
2. Hydrating surrounding connective tissue by working on the interstitium.
3. Hydrating the spinal disc itself. 
4. Creating more space in the spinal column with hydration and correct muscle length and tension.

If you visit my clinic for lower back pain I will also give you an explanation of some of the muscles that are the culprits of causing lower back pain, and empower you with exercises to stretch these muscles so that you can help yourself to prevent further episodes of pain and discomfort.

If you have unresolved or recurring back pain Bowen Therapy may resolve it for good, or provide you with a management tool or plan.  You'll never know if you don't give it a go.  Call me on 0427 143 743 to make an appointment, or visit my website, www.bowentherapydubbo.com.au, for more information.

Cheers for now,
Prue

Who can argue with this person who recently left this recommendation on social media??

"There is no reason to live your life with pain and be restricted in what you do or where you can go.

When Prue Duffy applies passion for improving your health with her years of training and experience of treating people who are in pain, she changes your life forever. 

Prue has a unique ability to discover the true cause of your pain. She then combines this knowledge with her Bowen techniques to develop a personalised plan to release your body from pain. It is unbelievable what she has achieved for clients and me, and it lasts. 

Her techniques are surprisingly gentle and relaxing and you wonder what she has done. But the moment you get up from her treatment table, you are amazed how much better you will feel. Usually in only 3 to 4 treatments your pain is gone. For many people results are achieved in her first session. 

I have met some of her patients who have had chronic back, hip, knee, neck or headache pain for years. They have tried medication or had surgery or years of constant medical or chiro or physio appointments. They have been amazed at the results Prue has achieved and are now pain free.

It doesn't matter how old you are or your career or for how long you have been suffering. She has treated shearers, truck drivers, builders, farmers, doctors, professionals, school teachers, football players, horse breakers, pregnant mothers, infants, seniors, and people in hospital. Bowen works for almost everyone. 

If it is physically possible to release you from pain then she will help you find the way. Prue also has an extensive network of traditional and non-traditional health professionals to refer you to if you need a specialist or additional support. 

She is honest, caring and totally focused on you and your future well being. 

Don't put up with pain, book an appointment with Prue."

If you want to do as they say, please call me on 0427 143 743.

Cheers for now,
​Prue

​Arthritis is often worse during the cold, but so many people are in significant pain from arthritic joints all year round.  And it is not necessarily the aged that experience pain from arthritis.

​Arthritis can start at any age, but it commonly begins or worsens as we get older, and there is no cure.  Regardless of the age, it hurts, it gets worse in cold weather, often there is no relief, and it’s definitely no fun.  Long-term pain can severely impact people’s quality of life, stealing their joy and often leading to depression.
 
Most of my clients who see me for arthritic pain get significant to moderate pain relief with Bowen Therapy, and use regular fortnightly, monthly or bi-monthly Bowen treatments to manage their pain or their tolerance of it.  A few of my arthritic clients have even become pain free!  I do not believe that Bowen (or I) can cure arthritis, but I now believe that arthritis does not necessarily have to hurt.
 
When we feel pain in one area, our body will try to use it as little as possible and over-use other parts, causing a cascade of compensating patterns throughout the whole body.  Often people who present with arthritis in one area have developed chronic pain in other parts of their body as well. 
 
Here are some of the ways I think Bowen influences arthritic pain:

• Bowen improves lymphatic drainage in swollen joints, and helps release uric acid, relieving stiffness and pain.
• Bowen relaxes tense muscles allowing joints to align properly, restoring space in the joint capsule so that the cartilage can renew and the joint has room to repair.
• Bowen relieves tension in the compensatory muscles, helping to restore balance to the body.
• Bowen restores muscles to the correct length and tension, allowing firing patterns of compensatory muscles to normalise, thereby interrupting the compensatory patterns of the body.
• Bowen stimulates the part of the brain that monitors the internal environment as well as that part of the nervous system that switches the body from flight and fight to rest and digest, triggering the body’s innate self-healing process to begin.

 
Bowen Therapy is a safe, effective and gentle form of bodywork that can successfully treat arthritis and many other aches and pains.  It is a soft tissue therapy characterised by a series of gentle, precise moves carried out in a rolling motion, and is usually done with the person lying in loose clothing on a massage table although can be adapted to treat people in a sitting position if they are unable to lie down comfortably.  It is very gentle, with no vigorous rubbing or excessive joint mobilisation techniques involved. It is safe for everyone of all ages.
 
There isn’t any cure for arthritis but if you suffer from this painful condition a few things that can help are:

1. Gentle exercise like hydrotherapy, yoga or pilates;
2. A healthy diet of non-inflammatory foods;
3. Adequate restful sleep;
4. A gentle bodywork modality that works for you.

 
I believe that Bowen Therapy can contribute to making every body feel better. If you or a loved one are suffering from arthritis or chronic pain, book them in for a session with me.  I wonder if you’re one of those people with arthritis who doesn’t need to be in pain?  As one of my clients said recently:
 
“Bowen can’t work if you don’t give it a go.”
 
Visit my website, www.bowentherapydubbo.com.au for more information,
or give me a call on 0427 143 743 to book a Bowen treatment soon.

"I'm writing this article from the heart.  I've been confronted by a serious health issue, and I would like to save others from the challenge of turning that around ... or not."

Maintaining our health is a life-long journey where we try many things and listen to many different opinions.  Yet unfortunately, when we are sick or in pain, we tend to rely solely on the advice from one source which makes us feel better quickly with as little interruption to our convenient daily lives as possible.  We expect this source to know everything, and be capable of giving the advise that is in our best interests.  This source is called ... doctors.

Doctors are, without a doubt, some of the most intelligent and knowledgeable people around.  They are revered in our society because they understand all about our bodies and how they work, chemicals and drugs that can have a quick impact on our illnesses, and how to save lives, which the rest of us will probably never get.  Our society's conditioning has programmed our survival instinct to believe that we must rely on them for guidance and support to keep us alive and healthy.  And so, as a matter of course, as we know no better, we believe what they tell us.  We instinctively trust them, and we allow them to influence us enormously.

Science recognises the power of suggestion.  It has even been scientifically proven that the growth and development of plants can be influenced by positive or negative words and messages said to them, so imagine how much more influential the messages given by doctors can be on us.

In my clinic, I have heard some interesting quotes:

• The horse rider:  "The doctors told me 45 years ago, after a car accident when I was 17, that I'd be wheelchair bound by the time I was 35 years old".
• The cancer survivor:  "Five years ago the doctors told me I'd be dead within 6 weeks."
• The businessman:  "The doctor said I'd just have to put up with the pain in my hip till it got bad enough for a hip replacement."
• The mother of three:  "The doctor told me to change my paradigm - expect a large box of tampons to last a day instead of a week."
• The farmer:  "The doctors said I'd never lift my arm above 20 degrees again unless I had an operation and took 6 months off work to recover."

Unlike some other people I know, these people didn't let their bodies wilt away after these negative messages, like the plants in the scientific experiments.

• The horse rider had found various exercises that he incorporated into his daily routine for the last 43 years.  This allowed him to maintain good posture and he is, to this day, running, horse riding and playing backyard cricket and rugby with his grandchildren, with no wheelchair in sight.
• The cancer survivor is still doing exactly what his herbalist tells him to, 5 years on.
• The businessman had a few Bowen treatments about 18 months ago and became pain free, and still doesn't think he'll need that hip replacement.
• The mother of three changed her diet under the guidance of a naturopath and her life is no longer ruled by her hormones - she has gone back to work, has an active social life and enjoys camping again with her family.
• The farmer was still telling me that he would never lift his arm more than 20 degrees as I was giving him Bowen at a dusty showground last summer, and he could already lift it to 90 degrees.  Two weeks later he had normal strength and range of motion, no surgery involved.

There is an option to mainstream medicine, you just need to be proactive and find it.  And most options can and will work with doctors

What I am particularly concerned about, and what I am hearing more and more, is that there is a growing acceptance and expectation of the inevitability that we will develop chronic pain and chronic illness in our early middle age.  I ask my clients to list all their health and pain issues for me, and often they don't tell me about some because "That's just what happens when you get older, isn't it, you can't do anything about that".  Where are they getting this message from?  I am hearing quotes every day in my clinic like this one:

"The doctor said to me what do you expect? 
Of course you're experiencing aches and pains - you're over 40."  

Now, I'm not sure what's going on here.  I'd like to think these noble doctors who have devoted seven or more years of their lives studying their healing craft are not giving their patients these negative messages, so perhaps people are misinterpreting what they're being told by the doctor.  If that is the case, I would like to encourage the doctors to take responsibility for this - understand the power they have over people, to change the messages they are giving their patients and to choose their words and messages very carefully so that this potentially hazardous misinterpretation that is changing our society's health expectations no longer occurs.

I also don't believe these highly intelligent people are arrogant enough to think that the medical and allied health industry hold all the answers and there are no other solutions - they must see evidence on a regular basis of what the alternative health industry achieves when their methods don't succeed.  I do think however that insurance plays a large part in what they can and cannot suggest to their patients.  But then again, I might be wrong - who knows.

What I do know, from my experience in my clinic and talking with my clients, is that:

• Arthritis doesn't necessarily have to hurt, and you might achieve that without pain relieving medication.
• Ageing can be graceful and comfortable.
• Surgery for carpal tunnel, knee and hip replacements isn't always necessary, and if it is then the leadup may be pain free and medication free.
• Many chronic illnesses may be managed through diet and lifestyle choices.
• Maintaining good posture helps you avoid deteriorating joints later in life, no matter how old you are.
• Maintaining good posture assists with functional movement which is necessary to keep your organs and systems working correctly.  This will assist you in avoiding chronic pain and chronic illnesses.

The body has an innate and amazing ability to heal itself.  Pain is the body's way of alerting you to the fact that something is not right.  If you address the pain when it begins, in an effective way with postural alignment and anti-inflammatory habits, then you may well avoid years of pain from arthritis and surgery for joint replacements.

My suggestion is not to put all your eggs in one basket.  Be proactive about your health throughout your whole life, not just when you start having problems.  From the age of 25 or younger, gather a team of health professionals around you that you trust.

1. Find a doctor that you are comfortable with, and consult the allied health professsionals they support.
2. Find a very good naturopath, herbalist or TCM practitioner to provide further support, information and dietary advice.  The very good ones will not advise you to abandon the treatments the doctors are prescribing you.  They will understand how to work around the drugs you're taking and still influence your health so that in time your doctor can review your symptoms, blood tests or whatever and make appropriate decisions.
3. Find a bodywork that you like which effectively restores and maintains good posture (massage, kinesiology, acupuncture, chiropractic, Bowen Therapy) and have a treatment once a month to stay on track.  If you think that's too much, have a treatment to resolve any small issues as soon as they begin rather than leaving it till the problem becomes too advanced to manage.
4. Regularly partake in some exercise that involves motion to maintain good posture (Yoga, Pilates, Egoscue, Tai Chi, Qi Gong).
5. Use moderate exercise in a range of activities to maintain fitness, strength and flexibility.
6. Attend to pain and symptoms in a timely fashion to maintain good health and posture and avert the possibility of chronic disease, chronic pain and, ultimately, surgery.

The advice that you will get from your doctor and allied health professionals will be different from the advice you get from the good alternative health professional.  Keep the end in mind, gather information and make your own decision.  Unfortunately the most effective advice is often the most difficult to follow - changing your lifestyle and diet forever is much more daunting than not changing anything except taking a tablet every day for the rest of your life.  If you find the support that works for you early in your life and follow the advice that makes sense to you, not necessarily what is most convenient to you, you will have a good chance of enjoying a long, pain free and healthy life.

So you have a choice:

• Drink the occasional soft drink, consume the occasional cream bun and eat a low-fat "balanced" diet following the "healthy eating pyramid", over-exercise or don't exercise at all, sit at a computer all day and watch TV till late every night and then, when you get sick and tired and sore, you can take pills for blood pressure and cholesterol and diabetes and anxiety and depression and Alzheimers and arthritis and goodness knows what else, and you're likely to have Outcome Number 1 - a long, miserable, unhealthy and uncomfortable old age.
  ​or
• Eat only nutritious, healthy foods, drink green tea and enough good quality water to keep your body fully hydrated, attend to any viruses and infections in a non-invasive and effective way, exercise regularly for strength, flexibility, posture and fitness, get enough restful sleep at the right time of the night so your body can do it's housekeeping properly, and you're likely to have Outcome Number 2 - a long, happy, healthy and comfortable old age.

I'm writing this article from the heart.  I've been confronted by a serious health issue, and I would like to save others from the challenge of turning that around ... or not.  Also, I am constantly witnessing (and helping to treat) the outcome of eating what we have been told is a healthy balanced diet, doing the fat free thing, and exercising 30, no 60, no hang on now it's 90 minutes a day.  I have no doubt that the high incidence of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimers and other chronic conditions as well as surgeries for joint replacements and the removal of gall bladders is caused by our diet, our lifestyle, our medicines.

When Bowen isn't enough, I encourage my clients to seek other assistance.  Depending on the nature of the challenge, that assistance may be from a doctor or an alternative health professional.  The alternative health professionals I refer to are the best in their field in our region.  We are very blessed to have their experience and expertise here, as you would be hard pressed to find a similar quality of natural health support in a metropolitan or coastal area.

Please don't leave this choice until you realise that you're not a superhero (about 30yo) and not immortal (about 50yo), because by then you're probably well on the way to Outcome Number 1 and, believe me, it's tough to turn it around - but I imagine even tougher to live it out if you don't manage to turn it around.  Start early so you can enjoy Outcome Number 2 - a long life just as it should be - graceful, happy, healthy and comfortable.
​
If you would like to know more about how Bowen Therapy may be able to assist you to achieve your goal of a long, healthy, happy and pain free life, or you would like some introductions to some very good alternative health professionals in our region, I'd be delighted to spend some time talking with you.  Give me a call on 0427 143 743.