This is an explanation iexcerpted from the article:

 “Introduction of Bowenwork for Nurses” by Susan Symmons, RN. Dip. BT. Instructor

One of the easiest and (most) recognizable medical explanations of how Bowen Therapy may work is by explaining the tendon reflex, whose function is to protect the tendons and muscles from excessive tension forces. The golgi tendons lie within the tendon organs, near the junction of the muscle and the tendon. Muscle spindles are sensitive to changes in muscle length. During passive stretching of the golgi tendons, muscular contraction impulses are transmitted to the spinal cord. In this reflex arc an inhibitory association neuron connects to the motor neuron. As the tension in the tendon organ increases, the inhibitory impulses increase and cause a relaxation of the muscle.

In this reflex arc, synapses with motor neurons controlling the antagonistic muscles occur, causing contraction of the opposing muscle. This in turn potentially will physically balance the muscle structure, which when injured is often found to be in a compensatory state of weakness or contraction. Hence Bowen can physically straighten the posture and balance muscle function over joints. An impulse is also sent to the brain from this arc giving the brain feedback of the state of the musculature.

An intersegmental reflex arc is created with stimulation to one muscle. This is when the impulse is from one site, but several muscles in the associated group respond. This lends itself to support the knowledge that a Bowen response can be over a general area without working on all the painful muscles. Eg, working on the vastus lateralis above the knee will provide relaxation to many muscles of the leg, just from doing one Bowen move.

The first two moves around the waist in Bowen Therapy result in an overall balancing effect to the body. They may be the only moves done for the day for some patients. During injury or compensation for injury, it is suggested that the fascia which surrounds the muscle fibers, which is an elastic strong layer between the skin and underlying tissues, shrink around the injured part to strengthen and protect it. After a broken bone, for example, the muscle may not be able to return to normal due to kinking of the fascia and impedance of lymph flow and circulation. Many proprioceptors are situated in the fascia. Under normal circumstances the fascia is lubricated with nutrients and a small amount of fluid allowing the muscle groups to glide effortlessly over each other.

To recap, Bowen stimulates the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system, causing the body to recognize compensatory patterns and to correct them, returning back to a normal healthy state. Involvement of the brain results in the body being able to prioritize which type of healing it requires, whether a fine tuning of the emotions is to take place, or healing on a physical level creating a balanced state of well being and lessening of  presenting symptoms and pain reduction.”

Tendinitis and Bursitis- What to Do?

Tendinitis, Bursitis and Bowenwork

   As we start into the warmer months we rush to increase our exercise and healthy activity. Unfortunately, however enthusiastic we are, we may be trying to build our exercise and activity level too quickly, as if we were trying to go 60 miles per hour immediately from a dead stop.

   The result is often mild to severe joint and muscle pain. While some soreness can be a natural product of exercise, when we have pain that doesn’t respond quickly and easily we pay a call on our physician. The physician may say that we have a case of Tendonitis or Bursitis, depending on whether the area affected is between a muscle and a joint or directly at a joint. The most common recommendation will be rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medication, together with the suggestion that “it should clear right up”. We dutifully begin our rest and ice applications, pick up and begin to take our meds and wait for the pain to decrease.

   The story can be picked up a few days later, with no change in our pain level, except for increased stomach upset from the medication. We ask our physician what else to do and are told there is nothing else to be done, either “it will improve” or “it is just a part of growing older”. This is not what we wanted to hear, or keep feeling. Where is our healing capacity? Where is our resilience? Are we becoming decrepit?

   Of course we are not falling apart even though we have begun to think so. It may be that we have been given a series of what can be called “arms-length” diagnoses. “Arms-length” meaning the physician is keeping us at a safe distance when they have no concrete answer to our problem. This isn’t to criticize the doctor; rather it is just an example of a profession-wide gap in training on musculo-skeletal and soft tissue issues. Physicians don’t have tools in their toolkits to address these issues, so they may resort to the arms-length suggestions to pacify their patients.

   If we use a system like Bowenwork or Voila that was designed to address structural imbalances and soft-tissue problems, we immediately have the tools in our toolkit that can provide solutions that are fast, safe and effective. Bowenwork or Voila can take the “heat” right out of a joint or muscle. What may seem to be tendonitis may be a muscle imbalance on either side of a joint or an over-contracting muscle, in either case they can help. What looks like bursitis may be a misalignment of the joint surfaces, which they can help, and without any joint manipulation, or “cracking”. If it is truly tendonitis or bursitis, there are specific protocols for each issue in either the Bowenwork or Voila toolkit.

   So if we are looking to start correctly and to keep going with our exercise resolutions, Bowenwork can be central in insuring that. Bowenwork can also be great as a tune-up to keep us humming along well after we have gotten fully into our warm weather activities. 

EFT- Emotional Freedom Technique Freeing Yourself from Painful Triggers

Emotional Freedom Technique

   This is an energy medicine technique developed out of a merging of acupuncture and psychotherapy. It has been effective as a therapy and self-care tool for more than 20 years. It allows us the opprtunity to disconnect from painful emotional triggers in our active and subconscious memories without having to actively process the memories or to try and forget them. The simplest analogy is cutting the wire between the explosives and the detonator.

We can have traumas in our lives that can serve as triggers for all types of emotional and physical responses long after we have experienced them. Even when we think we have let them go, we can be subconsciously reacting to a similar stimulus.  EFT gives us the freedom to release these uhealthy reactions.

EFT works by using tapping on sequences of acupuncture meridian points with specific verbal cues. The activation of the points serves to interrupt the feedback loop that is causing the triggered reactions.

There are many EFT sites and Youtube  videos that demonstrate the work if you are interested. I will simply leave a precis of the work below. I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to contact me.

EFT on a Page

EFT IN A NUTSHELL

THE DISCOVERY STATEMENT

"The cause of all negative emotions

is a disruption in the body's energy system."

Memorize The Basic Recipe.

Aim it at anyemotional or physical problem by customizing

it with an appropriate Setup affirmation and Reminder Phrase

.

Be specific where possible and aim EFT at the specific emotional events in one’s

life that may underlie the problem.

Where necessary, be persistent until all aspects of the problem have vanished. Try it on everything!!

THE BASIC RECIPE

1. The Setup...Repeat 3 times this affirmation:

"Even though I have this ________ ,

I deeply and completely accept myself."

while continuously rubbing the Sore Spot or tapping the Karate Chop point.

2. The Sequence...Tap about 7 times on each of the following energy points while

repeating the Reminder Phrase at each point.

EB, SE, UE, UN, Ch, CB, UA, BN, Th, IF, MF, BF, KC

3.. The Sequence (again)...Tap about 7 times on each of the following energy points

while repeating the Reminder Phrase at each point.

EB, SE, UE, UN, Ch, CB, UA, BN, Th, IF, MF, BF, KC

Note: In subsequent rounds The Setup affirmation and the Reminder Phrase are

adjusted to reflect the fact that you are addressing the remaining problem.

EB = Beginning of the EyeBrow

SE = Side of the Eye

UE = Under the Eye

UN = Under the Nose

Ch = Chin

CB = Beginning of the CollarBone

UA = Under the Arm

BN = Below the Nipple

Th = Thumb

IF = Index Finger

MF = Middle Finger

BF = Baby Finger

KC = Karate Chop - edge of hand

De-Stress for the Holidays and Give a Gift of Good Health

Here's my answer to Cyber Monday:

Give the gift of good health and lowered stress

1. I'm offering personalized gift certificates for your friends and family this week (11/26-12/3) at a 15% savings for individual certificates and a 25% savings for purchases of 4 or more. kevin@kevinminney.com, 510-333-4324

2. The good folks at HeartMath Institute have developed a Holiday De-Stress program that they're letting me offer to my clients, their friends and family for free.

Pick it up here : www.heartmath.org/destresskit
De-Stress Kit for the Changing Times

from Doc Childre

Founder of HeartMath®

14700 West Park Ave.

Boulder Creek, California 95006

© Copyright 2008 by Doc Childre. HeartMath is a registered trademark of the Institute of HeartMath,

14700 West Park Ave., Boulder Creek, Calif. 95006 • www.heartmath.org

Institute of HeartMath is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and education organization.

HeartMath tools for stress relief and emotional management are being used

by companies, government, the military, hospitals, clinics and schools.

Doc Childre is the co-author of the following books: The HeartMath Solution, From

Chaos to Coherence, Transforming Stress, Transforming Anxiety, Transforming Anger,

Transforming Depression and The HeartMath Approach to Managing Hypertension.

Got the World on Your Shoulders? Does it just feel like it?

   Shoulder pain from impingement (meaning the pressing on the soft tissue of tendon, muscle, or nerve by bone), sometimes called “frozen shoulder” is a common problem. It occurs frequently in the first quarter of the year. Why? Because of New Year’s resolutions for being fitter, stronger, etc. Starting too hard or too fast in upper body workouts can bring on shoulder problems very quickly.

Why does this happen and what can we do about it?

   Shoulder impingement can happen with great frequency in modern society because of a combination of factors, some anatomical, others arising from posture, exercise, and overuse. The pain involved in shoulder issues can range from mildly uncomfortable to completely debilitating. Complications can include pain, numbness and tingling in the elbow, wrist and hand and affect the thoracic outlet for the nerve trunk and artery for the entire arm.

   There are several anatomical reasons for shoulder impingements. In order to have its range-of-motion the shoulder joint has it uses muscles and bones to provide stability. It has to be stable throughout wide ranges of motion in different directions so it cannot use a ball-in-socket joint like the hip.  Fifteen muscles cross the shoulder and provide for its movement capacity. They work in concert like a small orchestra, supporting and giving way to each other in a finely tuned manner. If imbalanced, the entire assembly will be affected. Even a small imbalance can eventually have a profound effect. 

    Another anatomical issue is the small amount of clearance between the bones of the collarbone and ribcage. The nerve trunk, artery for the arm and a tendon pass through a space less an inch across. The space can shrink from poor form in exercise, bad ergonomics (a forward leaning posture or too much extension of the arms at the keyboard) or overusing a set of muscles in comparison with their balancing set in the “orchestra”.  Decreasing the space inch can result in pain, blockage of blood and nerve impulse flow. Like a car’s valves, operating without sufficient clearance produces overheating (inflammation) and potential damage. Once pain and loss of function begins, further muscle contraction and “guarding” of the painful arm progresses to more and more pain.

    Classic “frozen shoulder” or adhesive capsulitis comes from tissues within the joint capsule of the shoulder that “glue” together, resulting in complete immobilization of the joint. This is not the case in most painful shoulders, especially if addressed early. If inflammation and tissue damage is kept at a minimum, functional recovery can proceed quickly.

    Restoring the balance of range-of-motion to the muscles that provide stability and motion for the shoulder can relieve impingement very quickly and easily, when Bowenwork restores the perfect pattern memory for the area the body has stored. Often in less than 3 Bowenwork sessions pain relief is followed by movement recovery, then exercise and postural correction for long-term stability. 

Own Your Niche: A review of a powerful book

I've finished reading and recommending to friends and colleagues a book by Stephanie Chandler called as you might guess, Own Your Niche. The author of several books on publishing and marketing, Own Your Niche is her latest.

   As a complementary health practitioner I have had to try many ways to achieve visibility for myself and my work. The internet offers a variety of solutions but can be very intimidating. There are methods of establishing expert status, but they can also seem overwhelming. It may be procrastination, but it has been hard for me to get traction for myself in these areas. I find Own Your Niche a terrific primer on which ways to be most effective.

  I find that Stephanie Chandler's book has solid simple-to-follow suggestions, clear explanations and lots of support material.The book is organized in an incremental way to help consolidate and increase our efficiency as professionals, building a step-by-step plan for success. 

   For those who are looking for a guide to developing their credibility and visibility in their profession with the end result being profitability, I heartily recommend Stephanie Chandler's book.

8 Ways to Make Your Resolutions Work for a Great 2012

    Each year we begin with the best of intentions, wanting to improve ourselves. Towards a healthy body and mind, better relations, more wealth in our lives, we make resolutions to improve. Unfortunately, we often overestimate what we can do and underestimate the time needed to make the changes for our healthy body. Making demands on a body that it isn’t ready for can show up quickly as pain problems. Also, we can be continuing our old pattern of over committing ourselves to activities and under serving ourselves in taking care of our bodies.

   A physical therapist with multiple clinics told me the first quarter of the year had guaranteed income from rehab from all the people trying to complete their yearly resolutions in the first 2 weeks. Sometimes we may need to reduce our activity level or seek care so that we can start off with a clean slate, injury- and restriction-free.

1.      If we remember that our new year’s resolutions are for the year and not for the first week or two, we’ll have a good chance of avoiding injury and pain problems. We’ll have a better chance of completing our resolutions instead of discarding them in the first month.

2.      Give yourself a clear reason why you want-to achieve your resolution, make sure you know why you might-not-want-to and see how the two measure against each other. Too much might-not outweighs too little want-to.

3.      Make sure you ask your friends to help, to give you positive feedback as well as constructive criticism. If you can have someone to be your accountability partner, so much the better for you.  

  

4.      Make sure you have a plan and even ask the experts in the field to help with it. You’ll set yourself up to succeed with these ideas if you believe in yourself and them.

5.      Please give yourself a schedule that uses steps of improvement, for incremental or step-sized change is change that lasts. Starting slow and working up is no crime. No matter if you want to walk/run farther, lift more, swim faster, taking it in bite-sized chunks can be a big factor in your success. If you worry you won’t make enough progress, remember that increasing just 10 percent per week means you’ll be doing more than 500 percent more at the end of the year. Not so bad, eh?

6.      You may be reading this article after you’ve begun overdoing your activity resolutions and have already begun experiencing pain and disappointment. Don’t worry and don’t try to push through the pain.

 

7.      Go see your local Bowenwork practitioner or other wellness practitioner for a tune-up and recovery session to get you back on the road to success.

8.      Be sure about your healthy start and take advantage of my bonus packages available on my website to support your new year’s investment in yourself.

Pain at the End Range of Joints- While the Range Changes the Pain May Not

   In working with a client who is in pain in a particular movement, we must assess their range-of-motion and establish starting points for any change in order to be able to demonstrate improvement. Our client may not realize their improved movement has taken them to the point of pain.

   When we take our movements to the end range of the joint we can encounter pain, which is a feedback mechanism to protect our joints, muscle and tendons.
End range can be:
Structural:

• The limits of the bony surfaces, tendons or ligaments

Physiological:

• In response to overtraining, underuse, lack of stretching or trauma and injury
  

   When we are working with our clients it's important to explain the difference between the two and to emphasize that pain from either can be acute. Typically the client will demonstrate the restriction in movement marked by pain at the limited end range as the reason for the office visit, a sort of “test-to-pain”.


   It is vital at that point to measure or provide for the client a reproducible reminder of their end range. After we work on the area(s) there can be a significant increase in pain-free range-of-motion. This increase may not be noticed by the client as they are eager to “test to pain”. If they find the same pain at end range without being shown the difference in range they can assume there has been no improvement.


   Before the client begins their “test-to-pain” demonstrate the initial end range to give them a point of reference to assess the changes that have taken place. We may have restored 20%, 30%, 50%, even 80% of normal structural motion, but unless we help them to see their starting point, we will never convince them of the journey they have taken.


   We also will be challenged in getting them to continue on their healing journey without that proof. Asking the client to move slowly from the beginning of their range-of-motion can give them a clear idea of their enhanced status. Focusing on the new capacity and emphasizing that new movement habits are being built will serve to stabilize progress and prevent re-injury.


   These ideas are key to helping our client properly evaluate our value to them and maintain them on their healing path.

Cellular Response- What a surprise

   I am in a mild state of euphoria over my continuing work with a new(to me) technique called Cellular Response.It was developed by Dan Yamaguchi, a therapist on call with most of the NFL teams. It is a gentle energetic and structural therapeutic form that has produced some amazing results with my clients and in our practice workshops.Some of what I have witnessed with the technique

• Participated in straightening a clients moderate scoliosis in 20 minutes. 
• Reset a shoulder that has not only been separated and healed incorrectly but was affected by a stroke 20 years previously, restoring motion that hadn't been available in the 20 year period.
• Relieved thoracic outlet syndrome in a few sessions
• Restored postural alignment in less than a minute.
• Reset shoulder and rib imbalances in moments
• Relieved low back strain in a session.

  All of this was done with little effort and minimal or no discomfort to the client. I hope that more people can share this technique. It is available to anyone who is interested in learning it.
I can refer you to upcoming classes and practitioners in California if you are unable to see me.

Holiday Distress or Destress?

De-Stress Your Holidays-
Give Yourself and Those You Love the Gift of Health
   We are called by many outside voices to give, give, give … "Find the right present for my daughter, my wife, my grandmother, show everyone how good a giver I have to be." We are told to be generous to everyone ... except ourselves.


   The tensions of family get-togethers, end-of the year expenses, looking outside ourselves for satisfaction and validation for a job-well-done can take a heavy toll. We find the gift either wasn't appreciated or wanted. We may even find it sold-out before we try to buy it. We are looking for satisfaction and finding frustration. No wonder the holiday season can have the opposite effect we expect.



   We enter the "most wonderful time of the year" following riots in stores over $4 waffle irons, pepper-spraying those who would cut in a checkout line and walking over a dying man to get to a sale item. Perhaps the focus on material items has gotten out of hand? When we put ourselves and others at risk in order to buy a holiday present, it seems our priorities may be just a bit out-of-whack.



   We may feel sore and stressed-out, empty and dissatisfied. Is it the season or the idea of giving that is the problem? No, the problem seems to come when we look into the nature of the gift. Are we genuinely giving what mirrors our love and concern for the recipient? Or are we falling into the "thing trap"?
I'd like to believe that we want the best for our fellow man and woman as well as our family and friends and we are merely under too much pressure to consume, buy and spend by retailers. Push has definitely come to shove and we need to step back and reconsider.



   Finding some quiet time for ourselves to reflect on what is really important can be very helpful.



   What can we give that shows we care, that we want the best for the receiver? What can we enjoy giving, knowing that our gift will be well received? How about the gift of health, of comfort in the morning, easy breathing and movement during the day, pleasant sleep at night?



   How can we do that for those we care about? Promise to be an exercise or diet partner so they can develop a healthy regimen. Offer them an appointment or set of appointments with a health practitioner so they can bring back balance and comfort into their lives. Just as we can do for ourselves.
Taking care of ourselves and those we care about doesn't have to be so hard on us or on them, just give the gift of health.
© Kevin Minney 2011


Special Holidays Offers- 
Free De-stress Kit from Heartmath Institute- 
email me a request and I'll send you one right away



20% off on all sessions and gift certificates booked in December

I Have a Wonderful News
For You Cellular Resonance

A powerful new technique I have waited a year to learn

Let me share the amazing effects with you
I am offering  50% off a session of Cellular Resonance through October

 

Please contact me at my office to set an appointment

Back Pain -A Misdiagnosed Epidemic with Safe Pain-free Answers?

Image by JD'na via Flickr

Low Back Pain- A Misdiagnosed Epidemic?

   Low Back Pain is a problem that is said to affect 80% of the United States population at some time through their lifetimes. Even the common cold would be pleased to reach that many people. There are billions of dollars in lost productivity, medical expenses ranging for prescriptions of anti-inflammatories through the strongest painkillers to Physical therapy, exercise, chiropractic and osteopathic therapies and even surgical intervention. Yet there is no clear understanding in mainstream medical practice of the real causes of low back pain. 
 
   Modern MRI imaging can show us the picture of a bulging or herniated disc with the physician’s focus being on the repair or removal of the injured tissue.  The disc injury has the potential to mechanically press on a nerve root and its herniated material is inflammatory and toxic when in contact with the nerve, resulting in pain and debility for the client but the treatment for the injury often does not address the cause of the disc injury or the lack of recovery after the disc injury has been addressed.
 
   The explanation of how and why the disc came to be in that state is usually omitted.  An analogy might be when our front tire shows abnormal wear, getting the tire replaced without seeing if we have an alignment problem that is causing the wear. We can continue to replace our tires or have on-going therapy, epidural injections and even surgery without addressing the issue that fundamental to our problem. 
 
   Our spine not only carries the central communication cable of our nervous system, the spinal cord, it is the structural “suspension bridge” for our body. As the central structural member, it is intrinsically linked to our lower body movement components, the legs, through the pelvis and sacrum, and to our breathing and upper body support, the ribcage. These links mean it is susceptible to influence from an imbalance in the pelvis, sacrum and ribcage. 
 
    In the case of the pelvis an imbalance can mean that the halves of the pelvis are not level leaving the lower back to have an uneven force acting on it, tipping it as if standing sideways on a hill. This puts a force on the lumbar vertebrae and opens up more space on one side of the spine than the other providing a space for the disc to herniate into. 
 
   In the case of the sacrum it can rotate to support the spine but fail to return to neutral, putting a torquing force into the lower back. 
 
   The ribcage can sustain an injury or restriction that limits its normal movement during breathing. While the body is taking its 11-13,000 breaths each day a side-bending or torquing signal is sent through the spine with each breath.
 
   In very few cases are these basic inputs to the imbalance and injury of the spine considered, let alone addressed. The result is greater costs for the client in terms of continuing pain and debility and in increased medical costs.
 
  Addressing all of the areas mentioned with minimal intrusion on the body is what are called for. Hanna Somatics re-educates the body to proper sequential function, Strain-Counterstrain relieve imbalances throughout the torso, pelvis and legs. Bowenwork  addresses the spine and its cooperative actions with the pelvis, sacrum and ribcage. Using functional restorative exercise like Muscle Balance and Function will provide for stable continuity of these systems. Providing a comprehensive method of quickly and powerfully addressing low back pain for long-term relief and significantly reduced costs is what these modalities can do.

-Kevin Minney

Restless Leg- Time to give it a rest?

   Restless Legs syndrome is a very uncomfortable affliction affecting somewhere between 3% to more than 15% of the population. It is painful, but more seriously it is a sleep thief, keeping sufferers from having comfort and uninterrupted sleep. Cumulatively this can harm health, concentration, relationships, driving safety and work performance. Restless Leg Syndrome  (or RLS) is hard to diagnose. There can be a variety of issues involved, including an associated illness. The overall symptom is discomfort in the legs that appears after beginning any rest.   
   Sufferers have a strong urge to move their legs, which they may be unable to resist. The need to move can be accompanied by sensations that have been described as “creeping”, “itching”, “pulling”, “creepy-crawly”, “tugging”, or “’gnawing”. Symptoms start or increase when resting, the longer the rest, the greater chance the symptoms will occur and the more severe they are likely to be. Symptoms are worse in the evening; postures that can be bothersome during the night are not a problem during the day. Symptoms can reduce when legs are moved, with complete or partial relief coming for as long as the movement continues.       
   RLS often runs in families. It can appear as the result of an underlying condition such as peripheral neuropathy, kidney failure, Parkinson’s and diabetes. Successful treatment of the underlying disease can provide relief of the RLS. Anemia and low iron levels can contribute to worsening of the condition. ADHD is common in children and adults with RLS. More than 80 percent of people with RLS also experience a more common condition known as periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). PLMD is characterized by involuntary leg twitching or jerking movements during sleep that typically occur every 10 to 60 seconds, sometimes throughout the night.    Unlike RLS, the movements caused by PLMD are involuntary-people have no control over them                                                                        
    There has been no research done on the myofascial nature of RLS, as that is not a road that pharmaceutical companies can make a profit on. That said there is ample physical evidence for a fascial basis for RLS, with it cutting across age, gender, and illness lines. The fascial tissue of the body is a common point. 

    If the fascia can be released of excessive tension, then the need to move can go away. And that, with Bowenwork, is what it does. While there have been no controlled clinical tests done using Bowenwork on RLS and PLMD, anecdotal evidence from around the world points to Bowen as having a simple drug-free solution to RLS that can give from 6 months to several years of relief.
References: www.rls.org/NetCommunity/Page; www.ninds.nih.gov/disorder/restlessl_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm

Please check on www.bowenwork.com for practitioners located around the world.

I'd love to hear what you think of this post and any requests you have for future posts.

Thanks

Kevin Minney 2011

Stress- Causing you Distress? Stress Responses and Health

   Stress is a term coined by Hans Selye to describe the stimulus that an individual receives from either inner or outer sources.
That is to say, any input, whether physiological, psychological or environmental, we receive is a stress on us. The problem we have is that we confuse the input or stimulus with the response.
   Selye also said that there were different types of stress. One type that resulted in unhealthy responses he termed Distress. The other that resulted in positive effects he named Eu-stress.
   Dis-tress may be a case of a physical input. A noisy neighbor causes us to lose sleep and feel tired and unfocused at our work the next day. Eu-stress can be having a neighbor that has us over for a lively get-together that lasts until the wee hours, which we savor with fond memories the next day.
   As you can see by the way Selye categorized the different stresses that it is not a matter of what the input is, but rather a matter of its outcome, our response to it, that dictates whether stress is positive or negative. Popular culture has dictated that stress is bad when it actually has neutral value. The most important issue is what Selye termed the Stress Response. How do we respond to the inner and outer messages that we receive moment-to-moment, day-to-day throughout our lives?
Will we over-react with dramatic life-or-death responses, or will we calmly take in the stimulus and react appropriately?
   A central component of how we react and respond to stress is the organization of our nervous system and organ systems. We have what is called an Autonomic nervous system that controls 80% of the functions in our bodies. It has two major aspects. The Sympathetic and the Parasympathetic.
   The Sympathetic controls the immediate survival, “fight or flight”, functions like breathing and heart rate, glucose and adrenaline production, muscle tension and pain response.
   The Parasympathetic controls long-term survival functions like digestion, elimination, tissue regeneration and healing. Each works interdependently with the other, balancing their functions like two people on a see-saw. When one side is “up” or active, the other is “down” or quiet. So if one side is over-active or “stays on” too long, the other side can suffer. If there is too much Sympathetic reaction the long-term health of the body suffers. If there is too much Parasympathetic reaction, we could get run over by a truck.
   In our hectic society too much attention is paid to “fight or flight” so we are conditioned to react to stress as if it is an imminent survival issue. This results in over-stimulation, exhaustion, and malnutrition, along with the delay of our tissue repair functions for our circulatory systems and other organ functions.
  We need to practice our relaxation, where our calm response helps the Parasympathetic function can swing into action. Learning that a relaxed state is normal and natural state and maintaining that state is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Finding a balance between the Sympathetic portion and Parasympathetic portion helps our bodies operate in harmony.
   Using ways  initiate activity in the Parasympathetic, is an integral part of protecting our capacity to accelerate healing. Meditation, and visualization, can be powerful self-care tools to restore parasympathetic balance. Bowenwork is a modality that has a natural shift for the body into the parasympathetic state. Each session of Bowenwork begins by deeply relaxing the body, bringing the Parasympathetic into action to jump-start healing. These methods remind us of our natural healing state and of our powerful capacity to heal with the proper response to stress.


   I hope this article has provoked some interest and thoughts on the subject od stress and our various healthy and healthy responses to it. I hope to hear from you readers on the subject. I welcome your comments and contributions.
Kevin Minney 2011

Injuries and Injury Recovery

   Injuries, how do we recover from them? What is happening when we hurt ourselves and then are restored to health? What mechanism is at work that brings (or doesn’t bring) us healthy tissue, comfortable movement, an end to pain? We take for granted that we heal from a cut or a burn, that bruise will “go away”. What is really happening when these things go on?

   Organization, reorganization, communication and instant feedback all happen as a result of our healing process. We can see action taking place from the most visible level like changing the external posture of the body to accommodate a restriction brought about by the injury to the microscopic level where individual cells move from other parts of the body to assist in tissue regrowth. Beyond that we can measure organizing changes in tissue that we cannot even see.

   There is even electrical signaling entirely separate from nerve conduction going on in wound healing. Different levels of electrical potential are set up at the edges of the wound to align the cells that will be growing across the open wound1. Not only is the body sending building blocks for the healing of an area, it is “remote controlling” the arrangement of the blocks at a level that is entirely invisible.

   We have an astounding mechanism for repair and recovery available to us. Astounding, ultra-detailed, subtle and ready to help whenever we need it. And we need it every moment, since cells are being replaced every second of every day. New tissue to replace old and worn tissue completely enough so that it is said we have an entirely “new” body each 7 years.

   Well it may be that some bodies are “new” but you might be saying that yours doesn't feel particularly “new” or even completely recovered. Why is that with such a fantastic innate healing mechanism we don't often heal easily quickly or completely? What's wrong? Perhaps nothing is wrong as much as misdirected.

   There is a framework that is used to organize the involuntary activities of the body, from digesting to fear response, from breathing to keeping our our general muscle tone so we don't fall over. We call it the autonomic nervous system or ANS for short. It has two divisions, Sympathetic and Para-sympathetic, the  former focused on our short-term survival and the latter on our long-term survival.

   Sympathetic is our “fight or flight” part. It deals with muscle tension, blood flow heart rate, adrenalin production and our reaction to and mediation of pain. It is the “now” side. We run from the tiger, pull our hand from a hot stove, etc. Para-sympathetic is what we use between the incidents of fight or flight to keep ourselves fed, rested and renewed. Nutrition, cell growth and recovery, sleep all come under this divisions. Simple enough, two balanced parts to the mechanism that keeps us safe and healthy.

   Unfortunately the method of balance between these two divisions is a reciprocal one. When one is active the other is much less active. So if we have situations where there is no let-up in the “fight or flight” inputs like constant stress or chronic pain, healing has to be put on the back burner, to wait or be done in only a partial way. The body keeps tending to an emergency situation without taking care of its long-term needs.

   What can we do? We can focus on reducing pain to help the parasympathetic side take over. We can do breathing and meditation and visualization exercises such as Serge King's to relax and focus our healing. We can initiate gentle movement sometimes passive movement if we can't comfortably use our muscles yet. We can rest. allowing our bodies to workinternally istead of having to tend to externals. We can use a modality that can immediately move the body's reactions out of Sympathetic and into Para-sympathetic and facilitate healing, like Bowenwork or Reiki or Quantum Touch We can use a modality that pinpoints the body's attention on remembering its healing mission and generating supportive communication throughout the body to speed our healing. We can use Bowenwork, the modality that works with the body to relieve stress and recover from injury.

1Energy Medicine in Therapeutics and Human Performance-James Oschmann- Butterworth Heinemann- 2003

 ©Kevin Minney

If you'd like to add a comment or actively disagree with me I welcome the opportunity to connect. Thanks for your time.

Pain That "Moves"

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   Pain is a sensation we all know. We may experience it from accident and injury, overuse, or illness.. When we can trace our pain to a specific incident or series of incidents we have a much easier chance of addressing and relieving the cause of our pain. There is no great detective work that needs to be done to “uncover the villain” causing our pain. What happens when we have no incident or incidents to point to? When we have no illness to blame? What happens when we have pain that occurs without warning, and can change locations in the body? What is happening when the pain “moves”? What can we do about it?
   Pain can be seen as a warning signal that a specific area of the body needs attention, now! That signal  means that the body is unable to handle the demands we are making on it and that we need to make a change right away. This inability can come from stress responses or damage. More often it comes from a chain of reactions that the body has made to restrictions we have caused.
   We may have a minor trauma to an area of the body that leaves us with contracted muscles or imbalances in our joints. The body responds by “robbing from Peter to pay Paul” and making a change in our movement to bring us back to as close to normal movement. Unfortunately, this can set off a chain of “robberies” that continue down the line progressively stealing movement, grace and ease until our body can no longer offer any compromise. That is when we have the cry for attention, pain.
   The painful area is usually the only the place we pay attention to, missing the chain of compromises or accommodations that have  lead the body to the pain response. These compromises or accommodations will not go away when we address the painful area. Often we will have only temporary relief when we focus on the painful area alone. When we fail to consider the events leading up to the body's pain response we will fail to correct the chain reaction that has been set off. The pain can begin to move around the body as accommodation shifts to other areas. We can chase and chase the pain without finding long-lasting relief if we do not address the chain of reactions that led to it. By addressing that chain we can bring long-term relief and balance to our body.
   Tracing the chain of compromise and accommodation would seem complicated and involved. Following the reactions back along the chain to  the original event  to bring back  balance and ease seems a tall order. How do we play detective? How do we relieve our mysterious pain that “moves”? How can we find each link in the chain in the proper sequence to release all the compromises and accommodations?
   Strangely enough we have only to turn to our own body for the answer. For every minute of every day our body is performing 100 million separate functions involving all our organs and cells, all of our muscles, nerves and tissues successfully and continually. The problem with our our pain is  only a fraction of a fraction of  what the body can successfully handle. The body is capable of making such a minor correction if given the chance. The body  remembers how to heal and will release that chain of compromise and accommodation if we focus on it.  The body knows the sequence, it created the sequence.  How do we focus our body on that sequence?
   That answers are simple. We look at the areas that are most restricted in movement, not just the painful areas. We can see from the pattern of greaetst to least restricted areas of the body the pattern the body has produced in accommodating  to trauma and injury. Addressing the restrictions in the order of greatest to least gives us a means to address the pain that has moved around the body due to its pattern of accommodation.
   Using a variety of body reading and structural assessmentt methods, going to someone who understands biomechanics can be ways to address this. We can also work with A Bodytalk practitioner or a Bowenwork therapist to access the internal information of the body and set it on the healing [path taking care of the "pain thet moves".

Sinus issues and Drug-Free Ways to Address Them- Alameda and SF Bay Area

   Sinusitis and upper respiratory issues are problems that can bring our lives to a grinding halt. Whether the cause is from the sinuses or other respiratory issues, the symptoms can be similar, so I am including an excerpt fro the National Institute of Health on Sinusitis to begin this article
 
   Sinusitis simply means your sinuses are infected or inflamed, but this gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. Health care experts usually divide sinusitis cases into three categories:
Acute, which last for 3 weeks or less                                          
Chronic, which usually last for 3 to 8 weeks but can continue for months or even years
Recurrent, which are several acute attacks within a year                          
 
   Health care experts estimate that 37 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. Health care providers report nearly 32 million cases of chronic sinusitis to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually. Americans spend millions of dollars each year for medications that promise relief from their sinus symptoms.
   Sinuses are hollow air spaces in the human body. When people say, "I'm having a sinus attack," they usually are referring to symptoms in one or more of four pairs of cavities, or sinuses, known as paranasal sinuses.These cavities, located within the skull or bones of the head surrounding the nose, include the Frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow area; Maxillary sinuses inside each cheekbone; Ethmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes; and Sphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyes.
   Each sinus has an opening into the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus, and each is joined with the nasal passages by a continuous mucous membrane lining. Therefore, anything that causes a swelling in the nose—an infection, an allergic reaction, or another type of immune reaction—also can affect the sinuses. Air trapped within a blocked sinus, along with pus or other secretions may cause pressure on the sinus wall. The result is the sometimes intense pain of a sinus attack. Similarly, when air is prevented from entering a paranasal sinus by a swollen membrane at the opening, a vacuum can be created that also causes pain.
   The location of your sinus pain depends on which sinus is affected. Headache when you wake up in the morning is typical of a sinus problem. Pain when your forehead over the Frontal sinuses is touched may indicate that your Frontal sinuses are inflamed. Infection in the Maxillary sinuses can cause your upper jaw and teeth to ache and your cheeks to become tender to the touch. Since the Ethmoid sinuses are near the tear ducts in the corner of the eyes, inflammation of these cavities often causes swelling of the eyelids and tissues around your eyes, and pain between your eyes. Ethmoid inflammation also can cause tenderness when the sides of your nose are touched, a loss of smell, and a stuffy nose. Although the Sphenoid sinuses are less frequently affected, infection in this area can cause earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head. Most people with sinusitis, however, have pain or tenderness in several locations, and their symptoms usually do not clearly indicate which sinuses are inflamed. Other symptoms of sinusitis can include fever; weakness; tiredness; a cough that may be more severe at night; runny nose (rhinitis) or nasal congestion. In addition, the drainage of mucus from the sphenoid or other sinuses down the back of your throat (postnasal drip) can cause you to have a sore throat. Mucus drainage also can irritate the membranes lining your larynx (upper windpipe). Not everyone with these symptoms, however, has sinusitis.                                    

    The soft tissues of the sinuses and nose are not the only actors in the drama. The bones of the skull of which the sinuses and nose are parts must rhythmically move in unison to pump the cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and spinal cord. This fluid nourishes and maintains the health of the brain and spinal cord. A variety of stresses or accident can interfere with normal cranial rhythms, producing similar symptoms and involving the sinuses.
   
   Also the major drains for waste and immune system fluids for the head lay just behind the muscles that run from the top of the chest bone or sternum to behind and below each ear. These muscles are called the sterno-cleidomastoid muscles. Our posture and stress can cause these muscles to become overly tight and slow or stop normal drainage. When there isn’t proper drainage fluids can back up in the head causing the symptoms previously mentioned.
   We can use postural exercise protocols and improved ergonomic to rebalance our head and neck posture. Vitamin D3 therapy has been shown to enhance our immune function actually resulting in a decrease in environmental reactions. Cranio-sacral therapies and Bowenwork have procedures that that are effective in as little as one session for releasing fluid build-up in the sinuses, restoring proper fluid movement behind the sterno-cleidomastoid muscles and integrating healthy cranial movement. The effects can be long lasting, ending the cycle of pain, inflammation, and medication that can repeat over weeks, months or even years. There are many healthy, safe ways to deal with sinusitis and upper respiratory issues.
Sinusitis information excerpted from National Institute of Health, Health Matters article Jan 2005

A Pain In the Rear

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    A “pain in the rear” is a familiar phrase that refers to a nagging problem, a distraction that won’t go away easily. Why is it so familiar? How did “a pain in the rear” become so special? History, custom and language have led us to accept the idea of a problem that won’t go away, retuning over and over, that we can we can do little about.  It can refer to our physical bodies or our emotional or mental states.

    Speaking of our physical state, did talking about the phrase start you shifting in your seat?  Have you had hip or buttock pain within the last few months? Does it hurt to sit or to walk for some distance? It’s likely that a large majority of you answered yes to one of those questions. So we can see the phrase comes from our present as well as our past.
 
   Now for the more important questions:
Do you need to have a pain in the rear?
If you have a pain do you have to suffer with it?  Suffering is optional, you know.
Is your pain in your rear “a pain in the rear”?

    Commercials try to lead us by always describing how we are in pain. Has there ever been a commercial that begins with us how comfortable and happy we are? Not likely. Suggesting we are having arthritis or muscle pain, we are told constantly we have to take painkillers as if there is no other option. Going to a physician may give us no more satisfaction, with the “pain in our rear” being called some “itis”, bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis and the answer being the same, painkillers. We might believe our pain in the rear is a curse that finds us only to be temporarily lifted with medications.
  
   What if those ideas weren’t true? What if the painkillers were only a cover-up of a problem that could be dealt with naturally and easily? What if the pain could go away and not come back again and again and again? What if the pain we feel is due to a temporary imbalance in the muscles and joints? Could we restore that balance permanently and rid ourselves of our “pain in the rear”?

   We would be out of the cycle of pain and painkiller, of curse and temporary relief. Our body retuning and restoring balance and preventing the return our “pain in the rear” would leave us back in control of our health.

   When we have “a pain in the rear” we can have our pelvis rotated and not coming back to relaxed neutral, we can have an over contraction of our gluteal muscles, or a torsion of our sacrum. All of these can arise from misuse and overuse, from improper sitting or lifting. All of these can be addressed simply and without the use of drugs. All of these can be prevented from returning through simple postural restorative exercise like Muscle Balance and Function, Somatics and others. All of these “pains in the rear” can be successfully helped with Bowenwork and its accompanying movement training.

   So, what do you want “a pain in the rear” that is a pain in the rear or would you like to end the pain cycle and replace it with a cycle of healthy balance?

Please feel free to comment and email me with your questions. These posts are intended to stimulate a discussion of possibilities for health and healing.

Thanks,

Kevin

Successful Methods fo Asthma and Allergy Relief

Asthma and allergy problems generate lots of income for pharmaceutical companies, but their costly solutions offer short-term relief. What's a sufferer to do? Are there other safer, more economical ways to breathe free again?

  Asthma and allergy problems are serious and deserve effective solutions. We have been bombarded with drug solutions for these problems and yet the incidence of both problems continues to rise. Despite tripling spending on Allergy medicine, cases of a typical allergy hay fever have nearly doubled in the past 10 years. By focusing on symptoms and not on working improving the body's own capacity, we get stuck in a vicious cycle. More drugs, more illlness.
   If we step back and look at what we can change, we find simple nutritional changes can have profound results. A recent study of 60 years of medical literature  found that vitamin D deficiency is linked to increased airway reactivity, lower lung functions, and worse asthma control. School children were found to have reduced allergy problems when using increased vitamin D dosages, possibly even reducing the chance of developing asthma by 40% with higher doses of vitamin D.
   Other methods include reducing environmental pollution in the home and at work, reducing dairy intake and pet dander exposure. Breathing training like Buteyko breathing technique, mechanical aides like the sport breather can help restore breathing capacity. Bowenwork for diaphragmatic and ribcage release and upper respiratory clearing can be very helpful in increasing the airflow.



  We can achieve better results save money and improve our health when we look to ourselves instead of the drug companies. It means that we have to be responsible and take care of ourselves. It means we will putting our health first rather than the health of the drug companies. As a result our children will be healthier, we will be more healthy we will save billions of dollars and improve the quality of our lives. Not so bad for a few simple, safe lifestyle changes.
 
Please comment on this, if you need to know more, email me.
If you are sufering from these problems, take back control of your health and try some of the solutions suggested.


Leave things as they are and they will contnue to get worse.
Stop this once and promise yourself " this time, it will be different".
And it will.

Fortune magazine 2010,
 Childrens' AllergiesSource: Sharief S Jariwala S Kumar J Muntner P Melamed M (2011) Vitamin D levels and food and environmental allergies in the United States: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.01.017 

Neuralgia, Neuritis- Safe Ways to Address Them

Neuralgia, Neuritis-Safe Ways to Address Them
   
   Neuralgia is pain in a nerve pathway. Generally, neuralgia isn't an illness in its own right, but a symptom of injury or a particular disorder. In many cases, the cause of the pain is not known. Older people are most susceptible, but people of any age can be affected. Specifically, it affects the peripheral nerves (those outside the brain, spinal cord, or central nervous system), blocking sensory and motor functions, with pronounced symptoms.                                                                                                                                                  
    Almost everyone will experience mild neuralgia at some point, but these bouts are usually temporary and tend to ease by themselves within a few days. Some types of neuralgia are longer lasting, debilitating and so agonizing that a person's quality of life is severely reduced. Trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that usually affects one side of the face only, is said to be one of the most painful medical conditions. Neuralgia is usually managed with medications and physical therapy, with surgery an option in some resistant cases. Bowenwork can be so successful in addressing these issues that the conditions may be completely relieved.       
   Symptoms of neuralgia include localized pains, sensitivity to touch, sharp or burning pain depending on the nerve affected, muscle spasm though the affected area is still functional.
   Neuritis is a complex process involving inflammation of the nerves, resulting in irritation that interferes with normal nerve function and the areas served.  Symptoms can include numbness, tingling weakness or paralysis along with the pain of neuralgia                                                                                                                          
   Causes of neuritis include:
Shingles - inflammation of a nerve, caused by infection with the herpes virus. This common type of neuralgia is known as post-herpetic neuralgia. The pain may linger long after the shingles rash has disappeared, particularly in areas of the face.                           
Infection - the nerve can be irritated by nearby infection, such as a tooth abscess.                                Pressure or injury - broken bones, slipped vertebral discs or muscles (sciatica) or certain tumors can press and irritate a nerve.                                                                                                                           Trigeminal neuralgia- the most common type of neuralgia, also known as tic douloureux. The trigeminal nerve supplies various areas of the face, including the cheeks and jaw. Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by sudden jolts of shooting pain that usually affect one side of the face only. .
Occipital neuralgia-irritation of the main nerve that runs from the back of the skull can cause occipital neuralgia. This type of headache or pain is dull, throbbing and localized to the back of the head. The pain can sometimes include the forehead. It is suspected that tense muscles or ligaments may press against the nerve, causing irritation, inflammation and subsequent pain. Other causes may include viral infection, trauma to the neck or poor posture.


    Traditional medical methods of neuralgia and neuritis treatment include pain-killing medications such as aspirin or codeine; anticonvulsant medications to treat the pain and muscle spasms associated with trigeminal neuralgia; antidepressants to help relieve pain in some cases; surgery to desensitize the nerve and block pain messages; physical therapy and chiropractic. All these methods are invasive and carry side effects.
   Three important points: neuralgia is pain in a nerve pathway; generally, neuralgia isn't an illness in its own right, but a symptom of injury or particular disorders; in many cases, the cause of the pain is not known.  Use a conservative apporoach and look at all factors, many times traditional methods may be guessing at causes and only treating symptoms and not causes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
 Sciatica
    If you notice a burning pain or numbness and tingling that runs down the back side of your leg, you may have an inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the biggest one outside the trunk of your body. It begins in the lower back where five separate nerves make exit from the spinal cord between the lumbar vertebrae. They then come together making one long cable or wire cord-type nerve, which travels down the back of the thigh, knee, and lower leg. It sends out branches to all the muscles along the way all the way to the tip of each toe.                                                                                                     
   When sciatica comes on gradually, it is often due to inflammation caused by an infection such as a virus. It can also be caused by the effects of poor circulation to the nerve and by the deteriorating effects of diabetes. The gradual development of arthritis along the lower part of the spine is also a cause. Sciatic neuritis can also be caused by a bump or pressure anywhere along the course of the nerve in the back of the leg. Another more likely cause is impingement (or squeezing) by the internal flexor muscles of the hip, the psoas muscles. It is rarely due to a joint being out of place such as the sacroiliac or lumbo-sacral joints.         
  Mild cases can come and go and may recur unexpectedly over a long period of time without even becoming severe. Spells that come suddenly and that are severe will be very painful, causing problems with standing and walking. Even sitting and lying can be extremely uncomfortable. In such cases as these, there is a good chance a disc has bulged or ruptured demanding immediate attention. In all cases, the causes of sciatic neuritis has to be distinguished from causes other than inflammation, arthritis, neuropathy, and disc disease.
Ways to Heal   
   We can look at addressing inflammation through diet and nutrition, helping shift the body’s chemical balance form acid to alkaline either with drinking alkaline water, ingesting bicarbonate of soda or using an alkaline diet program and large doses of Vitamin D3. D3 also addresses inflammation and boosts immune response for infection fighting. Compression and arthritis and disc issues and occipital neuralgia can be addressed through gentle restorative postural exercise, osteopathic care, Bowenwork, Pilates, Somatics and other forms of enhanced movement and assisted stretching. Bowenwork has also been effective in relieving Trigeminal neuralgia
    By taking responsibility for our situation and engaging in these positive actions we can address and even eliminate these pain problems from our lives.
  copyright 2011 Kevin Minney
If you wish more information on any of the ways to heal discussed, feel free to ask or reply in comments.
Thanks.