I seem to remember reading a post about Bowen Therapy being beneficial to PMR sufferers, can someone remind me ? I was diagnosed with PMR in July 2016 following 2 months of extreme pain and disability. I was put on 30mg Pred, I’m now down to 4mg , I occasionally have a little discomfort . I just wondered if Bowen therapy would help at all and in what way.
Allison
Hi Allison sorry have not yet experience but tomorrow go for the first time. As I understand it
Is a Soft massage of the tissues
Other kind of massage are disturbing. You can try for
example 3 times and you will
know
wether it feels good and helps
you or not.lf you like It I will let you know. Type
Bowen in the search and you find more. Good luck, Aletta
Thanks fir your reply. Yes, do let me know how you get on.
Hi - can I ask how you got on with this therapy?
I and others have found Bowen helped with what I call the "add-ons" - it won't help with PMR itself but it can help with spasmed back muscles due to other causes that make the PMR feel worse.
One lady on the forum had been stuck in bed for 6 weeks, only able to get to the loo using a zimmer frame. I'd nagged at her to try my wonderful Bowen therapist (we used to live about 10 miles apart) and eventually she got a friend to take her. The zimmer wouldn't fit in the car so she struggled from the car to the room with the friend on one side and her walking stick on the other. After an hour's treatment she walked back to the car. And realised she had left the walking stick behind! She is - needless to say - a convert. Such a dramatic response is unusual - but if it hasn't helped in 3 sessions it probably won't.
If you enjoy the relaxation of a massage but find your PMR doesn't, Bowen may be a good option. I come out feeling I have had a really good relaxing hour. Just remember to drink plenty after the session and a gentle walk in the fresh air helps too.
Thank you for replying
Hi Ally, in the early years of my PMR journey, I was desperate to find ways to ease both the mental and physical challenges accompanying PMR and Prednisone therapy. Thanks to this forum, and PRMPro specifically, this is what I learned... Bowen therapy, is a great adjunct/comfort treatment. It is not my experience that BT “cured” any thing, but it did Give me a sense of calmness and feeling of well-being. I also use acupuncture and chiropractic as comfort therapies, and all of these help me stay relaxed and moving forward in my recovery.
It is my experience and belief, that any alternative treatments which result in self-soothing, are worth exploration.
Documented Scientific “fact” is way behind anecdotal support for various alternative therapies for our illness. That being stated, I fully advocate that we try any reasonable options, and judge their effectiveness for ourselves.
Kind regards, moving forward, Jerri
Love the idea of comfort therapies. Over the past 10 to 15 years I have had to learn to use daily activities and extras like massage or time with a good friend as comfort therapies.
or a glass or wine.
Thank you
Another Bowen enthusiast here, Ally. I found a local practitioner and went for the recommended 3 weekly sessions - after the first one I came home, fell asleep on the sofa for a while then went to bed and slept for hours. I go for top-ups every 3-4 months, good for specific areas such as neck. shoulders and lower back which bother me sometimes or she just works away on an all-over MOT. I was sceptical the first time as nothing much seemed to be going on and there were pauses when she left the room .. all will be explained, and in my case it alleviates knots and tensions and I always sleep deeply afterwards, a huge bonus.
Did she not tell you she'd be leaving you between moves? I've heard others say the same thing - Joanna always explained everything.
She did, but I forgot until she left! Lots to get through at the beginning of the first session and brain fog set in. She (Pam) is very informative once she knew I was interested in what was going on, right down to asking if I wanted 'tinkly music' - no thanks!
gawd yes - it was the rather tinkly music that detracted from the Bowen therapist I found here! Then she was told she wasn't charging enough "for her skills" - a common problem here of over-estimation of their importance - and the price shot up. Miss my Bowen - but the hospital physio does a mean therapeutic massage!!!!
Well said.
Bowen therapy is NOT a cure for PMR/GCA
Bowen Technique 
Bowen therapy 
Bowen therapy
