Newspaper Articles on Bowen Therapy
What is Bowen Therapy and How
Does it Work
A Brief Anatomical and
Physiological Explanation for the Medical Profession
By Robert M. McCusker
The Australian developed Bowen Therapy or Bowen Technique can be used to treat a range of acute problems such as sport and work related injuries. As an example, Bowen Therapy will provide immediate relief and mobility to a sprained ankle.
If used holistically, Bowen therapy will allow the body to repair itself from a wide range of chronic, long term health conditions and can be used to improve the performance and well-being of people.
In both
cases these results are obtained by allowing individual muscles to relax or
return to their uncontracted length.
This is
achieved by using one, or both, of the two Bowen techniques. One Bowen technique
is used on tendons and the other Bowen technique is used on muscles.
The aim of
the Bowen technique for tendons is to activate the Golgi tendon organ (a type
of proprioceptor) which will trigger the tendon to automatically relax. This technique
will vary depending on the length and location of the tendon.
The second
type of Bowen technique is carried out on the muscle (usually on the belly of
the muscle) where the vein and lymphatic vessels connect to the muscle.
The aim of
this Bowen technique is to gentle push the blood and lymph fluid along their
respective vessels, away from the muscle. This process is similar to squeezing
toothpaste out of a toothpaste tube.
This is
achieved by gently using the fingers to slide the skin over the underlying
muscle. An important part of this Bowen Technique is to move the blood and
lymph fluid gently enough to avoid stimulating the nervous system.
If this
Bowen technique is performed correctly, the first physiological effect is the
lymphatic system will flush any excess or trapped neurotransmitters from the
synaptic cleft. The immediate effect of this is the muscle stops trying to
contract.
The effect
of moving blood along the vein, away from the muscle, is that due to pressure
differential, blood will exit the muscle to replace the blood moved along the
vein.
This in
turn allows space for fresh blood to enter the muscle from the artery.
As muscles
need energy to relax, the fresh blood entering the muscle will supply energy to
the myosin heads allowing them to release, which allows the muscle to relax or
return to the muscle's uncontracted length.
The
improved blood flow will also supply additional nutrients and oxygen to speed
the repair of any injury to the muscle.
To use
Bowen Therapy as a holist treatment requires relaxing selected muscles to
improve the posture of the patient. This follows the belief that "the structure
of the skeleton affects the function of the organs".
One example
is if a person has bad posture and is physically bent and twisted, the internal
organs (liver, kidneys, spleen etc) are all being squeezed and squashed out of
shape. While this may not be fatal, the organs will not work as effectively as
they are meant to.
As the
Bowen treatment improves the patient's posture, the internal organs return to
their correct shape and location. The following improvement in organ function
is one of the reasons Bowen Therapy achieves the quick results it does on a
wide range of health issues.
The last
piece of the Bowen puzzle, and possibly the most important, is the effect Bowen
Therapy has on the Autonomic Nervous System.
If a gentle
Bowen Therapy relaxation treatment is carried out, brain mapping shows the
patient's brain will produce Alpha waves and the patient will feel like they
are in a deep meditation.
When this
occurs, the Sympathetic Nervous System stops overriding the Para-sympathetic
Nervous System and the body goes into automatic repair mode. The
Para-sympathetic Nervous System is often referred to as the "resting and
digesting" division of the Autonomic Nervous System.
To achieve
a similar state, Australian hospitals now put severe trauma patients into a
drug induced coma for several days, purely to accelerate the body's repair
work.
Because of
the affect Bowen Therapy has on improving posture, improving the blood and
lymphatic flow, the improvement in organ function and the way it allows the
body to go into automatic repair mode, Bowen Therapy has a legitimate claim to
being the most holist form of health care ever invented.
This thesis
was researched and written by Robert M. McCusker to improve the effectiveness
and understanding of Bowen Therapy as a way to commemorate the 25
th
Anniversary of the death of Tom Bowen
Robert has
been trained by Bowtech, Smart Bowen and the International School of Bowen
Therapy.
He also has
the experience of over 15,000 Bowen Therapy treatments and Honours in Anatomy
and Physiology.
Robert M.
McCusker
Balmain
Bowen Centre
99A
Victoria Rd
Rozelle
2039
Australia
(02) 9555 2117
Copyright
2007 Robert M. McCusker.