Pain Relief Newsletter October  2003 [ Send a copy to a friend ]   Heading Off Migraine Pain In the first quarter of Super Bowl XXXII last January, Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis was hit hard and walked off the field with a towel draped over his head.  A developing migraine made the sunlight difficult to bear. So how did a person suffering from migraine, a condition that can cause debilitating pain, return after halftime to score the winning touchdown and earn Most Valuable Player status?  The answer:  He recognized the early warning signs and immediately took an effective drug to control his pain. (READ ARTICLE) Coping With Arthritis In Its Many Forms It may begin as a slight morning stiffness.  For the lucky person with arthritis, that's as far as it goes.  But for millions of others, arthritis can become a disabling, even crippling, disease.  Roman Emperor Diocletian exempted citizens with severe arthritis from paying taxes, no doubt realizing that the disease itself can be taxing enough.  (READ ARTICLE)   Bowen Technique and Knee Pain She was 80 years old.  Twenty years ago she had knee surgery.   Since then she has walked with a pronounced limp and had to use a cane.  She also had severe pains in her sacrum. Her doctor had her on seven very strong pain medications and 3 sleeping pills.  She was told that she would need a total knee replacement. Her daughter suggested she try Bowen. Finally, this very proud and shy lady contacted a Bowen Practitioner.  She was so nervous.  She thought Bowen would be useless.  She loved golf and walking and shopping for her grandchildren, but for the past 15 years she could only manage to go grocery shopping.  And she was only getting about 3-4 hours sleep each night. After her first Bowen treatment she was told to go home, apply apple cider vinegar on her knee and to call if she had any concerns.  This was on a Monday.  As she left, she didn't have any marked improvement so the practitioner thought the Bowen didn't work. On Wednesday afternoon there was a knock on the practitioner's door.  The old lady was standing there with tears in her eyes.  The practitioner went into shock.   She said: "What happened?  I'm sure I didn't do it!!!" The old lady smiled, put her arms around the practitioner and said "Yes you did.  You took away my cane, my pain medication, my sleeping pills and gave me the best golfing and shopping day with my grandchildren I have ever had in 15 years!"   Pain Management:  Get More From Life! When you can help yourself to cope with pain, you are in control of the situation - not the pain.  Pain is the biggest single problem of all symptoms associated with any illness.  It causes more misery and unhappiness than any other symptom.  When not treated effectively, pain can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, disablement and depression. Pain relief doesn't always have to come in the shape of drugs.  There are many alternatives which can be used alongside your medication. (READ ARTICLE) Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Hypnotherapy Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a condition with varying severity and symptoms.  It is an extremely common digestive disorder accounting for up to 50% of all cases seen by gastroenterologists.  At least one in four of the general population is affected at some time in their lives. Hypnotherapy has shown to help in the vast majority of cases of IBS sufferers.  The writer is aware of at leas one hospital gastroenterology department with its own hypnotherapy team alongside. (READ ARTICLE) Miracle Pain Relief - Video Review Have you ever noticed how things show up exactly when you need them? So was the case with the arrival of the Miracle Pain Relief video, by Gerri Shapiro, that arrived on my doorstep several days ago for review. I was recently in a car accident and injured my neck from the impact of hitting my head on the window frame. When I sat down to view this video, I was amazed by Gerri’s healing story. For 25 years Gerri suffered from back pain so severe she tried everything imaginable to relieve the pain. After three sessions of the Bowen Technique, the subject of this video, her back pain was history, she says. Bowen is a light touch technique that boasts an 85 percent success rate. The gentle, clear, easy instructions and the repetition of the moves Gerri skillfully demonstrates in the video, send out signals to the body which stimulate energy flow, facilitate lymphatic drainage of toxins and waste; promote good circulation, release tension, increase mobility, encourage the body to relax, re-align and heal itself. Two or three treatments are usually enough to achieve long-lasting relief. Even long-term conditions may respond very quickly. Miracle Pain Relief is a teaching video designed for those who do not have access to a Bowen practitioner and instructs one how to precisely perform the Bowen Technique on family and friends who are suffering from chronic pain, sports injuries, migraines, back pain, etc.  The technique does require a partner.  Guess, I better start looking.                                                                                                    by Ana Hays                                                                                                    Maui Vision   Exercise:  A Natural Reliever for Chronic Low Back Pain People with chronic pain can peddle away some of their discomfort, according to a new study by a Medical College of Wisconsin researcher at the VA Medical Center in Milwaukee.  Martin Hoffman, MD, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has found that people with chronic low back pain reduce their pain perception for up to 30 minutes after a moderate workout on an exercise bike. (READ ARTICLE)   Doctor, It Hurts When I Do Anything! For competitive athletes, the expression "No pain no gain" signifies an unpleasant truth:  without placing stress on your body, it's impossible to improve your strength, speed or endurance. Unlike serious trauma, which causes immediate and intense pain, the discomfort that results from physiological stress usually sets in 6 o 12 hours following exercise and peaks after 24 to 36 hours.  This "gainful pain" is caused by your body's reaction to tiny exercise-induced tears in muscle tissue, and indicates that your muscles are being stimulated to grow stronger and more resilient.  The good news is that your body's adaptive response will make subsequent bouts of activity less painful. (READ ARTICLE) Newsletter Archives September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002