Pain Relief Newsletter September -  2002 [ Send a copy to a friend ] Hip & Back Surgery Avoided With Bowen Dr. JoAnne Whitaker, MD, was facing a hip replacement and back surgery when she discovered the Bowen Technique.   After receiving Bowen treatments, not only was she able to walk, but she went back to playing golf... without surgery.   She was so impressed that she flew to Australia to train in the Bowen Technique and now treats patients with ailments ranging from bunions to heart disease.   According to Dr. Whitaker, "Bowen Therapy is the single, most important hands-on healing technique in medicine."    Exercise Puts Back Pain On The Run "Before you go under the knife or pop a pill for your lower back pain, first give exercise a try.  And not just any exercise, but an individualized program that suits your particular back problem..."   (READ ARTICLE) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: One Woman's Story Exhaustion had become a stable part of her life, as had the pain.   During a visit to a new doctor, a brief mention of the Bowen Technique was made and she was referred to a practitioner.   She had no idea what to expect and she was very nervous during her first visit.   The therapy was explained in a very reassuring way, even though she didn't really understand the part about "energy flow" and she found the whole thing a little weird.   But she had come this far, so she thought she might as well give it a try. The treatment itself was very relaxing.   In fact, she almost fell asleep several times.  Since she was accustomed to a life of conventional drug therapy, she tried to rationalize how Bowen could possibly help, especially after nothing else had worked.  The week after her first session she remained skeptical, and so it was to her surprise that within a few days she began to feel different.   Her pain was still there, but she  felt different.   Like she could do more.   She decided it was probably a coincidence. Over the next few weeks she began to take regular walks and without even noticing it, she slowly developed less reliance on pain killers.   Gradually the time between Bowen treatments grew longer.   It is now months since her last treatment and she still doesn't  understand the whole process, but what does that matter?   When did she ever understand how conventional medicine worked?   All she knows is that without the aid of prescription drugs, she is slowly regaining much of the life she had lost for so long.                                                                                                       Painkillers Come With Major Risks "As medicine enters a new era of pain treatment, a researcher reminded thousands of doctors yesterday that popular painkillers are not without their risks. Even a modern generation of drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors are anything but harmless..."  (READ ARTICLE)   Experts Say Skip Knee Surgery and Try Taking It Easy " Aging weekend warriors, listen up!  Whether you're a jogger, a tennis player or a baby boomer who enjoys all sports, if your knees are starting to give out, skip the thought of surgery and just give them a rest." (READ ARTICLE) Bowen Added To Pain Unit Brenda Williams chose the Bowen Technique as the sole hands-on component of her patient-centered hospital unit dealing with pain management.   In addition to the Bowen Technique, the program includes the use of breathing techniques and special music that affects brain waves to support and trigger the body's own self-healing responses. Prevent & Cure Pain With Water Drinking water can help prevent and cure back pain, arthritis, migraine, colitis and more. (READ ARTICLE)   Foods That Fight Pain "...an approach to pain that is different -- and perhaps more powerful -- than anything you have ever tried... based on the premise that foods have medicinal value, a notion which has long been accepted in the medical traditions of China, India, Native America, and other cultures around the world, and is now being confirmed by the latest Western medical research." (READ ARTICLE)   "Fibromyalgia - Simple Relief Through Movement" Book Review  "One of the major paradoxes of living with a condition like fibromyalgia is that despite the inability to move, one of the best ways to obtain relief is through movement itself."   In her new book, Fibromyalgia-Simple Relief Through Movement, author Stacie Bigelow, helps to explain why movement is important, what movements can be performed and how they will help the FM patient."  (READ REVIEW)   Miracle Pain Relief Video Review Two Thumbs Up From Our Family! "This video was great!   I really had fun watching it and seeing all the beautiful scenes of Maui.   It put me in the right mood to try out the Miracle Pain Relief technique on my husband Chris, who was suffering from back pain.   The instructions were really easy to follow.   Gerri took me step by step through each of the moves.   She made it fun and gave lots of tips on how to speed up the healing process.   It was so relaxing that Chris fell asleep during the session.   Later that day he and I took a walk and he turned to me and said 'Marcie - it really works.   My back pain is gone!' I was amazed.   I highly recommend this video.  It got two thumbs up from our family!"                                                                                Marcia H., Santa Cruz, CA