Alternative therapies show promising
results for wounded veterans
Support is growing for the use of
alternative therapies to help wounded veterans to recover from
their dehabilitating injuries, says Bowen4Veterans.
Following the airing of BBC's 'Wounded' in
which soldiers Andy Alan and Tom Neathway were followed as they
recovered from their crippling injuries sustained whilst on
duty in Afghanistan, the Bowen4Veterans campaign has revealed
that there are an increasing number of cases where alternative
therapies like the Bowen Technique are complimenting existing
rehabilitation programmes by helping wounded veterans come to
terms with their injuries and aid the recovery process, and are
calling for increased access for soldiers to such treatments.
The Bowen Technique is a non-invasive,
relaxing yet powerful form of bodywork. Bowen helps to
reset the body so it can heal itself and restore its natural
healing ability and promote pain relief, recovery of energy and
functionality to the body.
A rising number of medical experts are
recognising the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to
treatment and rehabilitation and are increasingly supporting
the use of alternative treatments like Bowen.
Dr Gaby Cora, a medical practitioner,
former Lieutenant Commander and author says:
"Massage therapies may be helpful for
different reasons: people with trauma may be in a hyperalert
state and gentle techniques may desensitize them from brutal
memories or experiences. In addition, they may help the person
"reconnect" or ground themselves by becoming more
tuned in more relaxed and comfortable within their
body."
Bowen4Veterans has exclusively released
details of three cases in which soldiers gained relief after
receiving Bowen treatment in the hope that it will help raise
awareness of the variety of treatments available to help
wounded veterans recover from their injuries.
Chris, who was injured by an IED explosion
in Helmand province earlier this year, received severe facial
injuries and was thrown 20 or 30 feet away, landing with full
body armour on top of him. He lost a lot of blood and a tooth,
and there were concerns for his sight. However, when he
returned home to recuperate, other problems emerged in that his
upper and lower body seemed to be moving quite independently
from each other. As a trained Bowen practitioner, Chris's
mother Marylin decided to see if it could help her son and says:
"He took little persuasion to try
Bowen, which surprised me actually. I did the basic moves,
turned him over, put 1 move across his neck, and his face
turned black. Presumably, all the bruising, which had not yet
shown, emerged in an instant. By the end of the day, not only
had that cleared, but Chris was moving quite fluidly."
Former Private John Gould suffered severe
shoulder injuries after being involved in an explosion in
Northern Ireland. John had Bowen for the first time earlier
this year and says:
"Ever since the explosion, I've
suffered from stiffness and pain across my legs, hips, lower
back and even feet. The doctor even prescribed me quoterzone
injections in the balls of my feet to relieve the pain. Yet
from just a few sessions of Bowen, my stiffness had gone and I
had better movement than I've had in a long time. I wish I'd
known about this years ago."
Former soldier Mark Perkins decided to try
Bowen to help relieve his chronic back trouble and says:
"Bowen has not only cured me of
chronic back trouble, but also continues to resolve work
related aches and pains. I served in the British Army for
17 years and know first hand what soldiers experience and
endure. I can recommend Bowen to help servicemen recover more
quickly from their injuries and also to help restore normal
muscle function post recovery. The benefits of Bowen
reach further than just helping with physical injuries; the
overall feeling of well being that I receive from treatment
leads me to believe that it could also be of benefit to those
dealing with mental traumas."
Bowen practitioner Jo Lunn who founded
Bowen4Veterans earlier this year, believes that the gentleness
of the technique is particularly suitable for aiding
rehabilitation and could help keep veterans in the best
physical condition to meet the demands of other medical
treatments and procedures.
Jo explains:
"When I've worked with people before
and after surgery, their healing time has been quicker to the
point that the consultants have commented on it.
The Bowen Technique works with the fascia
of the body - a three-dimensional interconnected web of tissue
that extends throughout our body. It gives us structural
integrity as well as protection and support. It also provides
the environment for intracellular communication and so one
Bowen move within the fascia has a ripple effect that can have
influence of on other areas of the body. It is also the
fascia that is the front line in helping the body to repair
from injury. Also our nervous system is found within our fascia
and so a Bowen move has a neurological effect on the body too.
This enables the brain to establish the appropriate response
for the body to correct itself, be that on a physical, mental
or emotional level."
"It has helped many to come to terms
with the severity of their injuries without in any way giving
in to them. It is this combination of physical and emotional
stimulation that is proving so critical to the recovery
process," says Jo, who practices Bowen at her clinics in
Malvern, Worcestershire and at The Hale Clinic in London.
For more information please visit
www.bowen4veterans.wordpress.com
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Jo Lunn is a Bowen Technique Teacher and
Practitioner. She recently founded Bowen4Veterans a website
which promotes The Bowen Technique as the ideal therapy for
veterans who have suffered physical or emotional injury whilst
serving in the Forces.
Bowen can help soldiers just as it can help
others but for soldiers suffering from the extreme of injuries,
both physically and mentally, anything that is going to
kick-start their parasympathetic nervous system to help them
heal and bring them out of a state of shock and the state of
survival, is certainly going to be of immense help.
As well as treating veterans, Jo also
teaches The Bowen Technique across the UK, and works from her
clinic in Malvern Worcestershire and the Hale Clinic, London.
Her clinic has been a great success and people travel from all
over the UK, Europe and Australia for treatment.
As an experienced practitioner Jo also
trains others on behalf of The European College of Bowen
Studies (ECBS) in Farnham, Northampton, Southampton, Wimbledon,
Worcester and Wolverhampton. All courses are biased towards
practical demonstration, allowing plenty of time for each
student to fully understand and apply each technique.
For more information please visit:
www.bowen4veterans.wordpress.com