BITTEN BY THE BOWEN BUG
By George Savastio, ND
I first encountered Bowen Therapy many years ago while I was in medical school. One day while I was observing a doctor’s practice, he performed a couple of seemingly strange movements with his hands on a young patient. When I asked him about it, he didn’t explain too much about it except to say that it was a technique developed in Australia in the mid-20th century, and it uses a sequence of gentle moves in order to bring about healing changes in the body. Somehow, that memory stuck with me.
More recently, I received an invitation to experience the therapy from a local practitioner. Remembering my previous experience, I was curious to learn more about it. Afterward, I felt as though tension released in my neck. The relief was at least as great as that received from acupuncture, spinal manipulation or CranioSacral Therapy, all of which I’ve already learned. I was intrigued enough to want to learn more.
Since that time, I’ve been attending training and practicing, first on family and friends, and later on patients. I’m pleased to report that Elemental Medicine now has another valuable natural therapy to deal with pain, stiffness, and nerve issues. Sessions consist of a series of very gentle moves performed over muscles, tendons, fascia and neurovascular bundles. It’s a very pleasant therapy to receive, as there are no needles to insert or crunching sounds of bones going back into place. I’ve tried it on some patients who plateaued with acupuncture, or who just couldn’t stand the thought of having needles stuck in their bodies. I’m pleased to report that it has helped some patients beyond what we were able to achieve with acupuncture.
The training I’ve received focuses primarily on muscle and joint pain, although the system has more versatility. There’s more to learn. But we’re already seeing some positive results with this new therapy and encourage you to ask your doctor more about if you’d like to see what it could do for you.
Contact the office to schedule your Bowen appointment – (603) 516-3696
