Sciatica, Bowen technique? (v sorry not horsey)

0ldmare

0ldmare

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Sorry to ask something non horse related, but I am desperate!

Has anyone tried Bowen therapy for sciatica and did it help? Or was there anything else that helped?

Just to explain my poor old mum has had terrible agonising sciatica for 13 months. Its believed not to be caused by her vertebrae, its some sort of muscle locked over the nerve (they think)

In the early days it was misdiagnosed (though how defeats me as its text book sciatica caused by a 12 hour car journey in a tiddly Fiat 500!). Her useless doctors thought she had broken her leg (would she not have noticed?), needed a hip replacement and finally that she has bowel cancer (ho hum) Do so wish she didn't live in a remote place with only v limited doctors....

Anyhow, they have now realised it is sciatica.... Trouble is they can't seem to treat it and have basically washed their hands of her (she has seen specialists and been to a pain clinic etc, but they all seem to try one thing and then just give up!!!

86 year old mum now in deepest despair, can only walk with 2 sticks and then only about 5 paces max and demented daughter is trying to find some help!

NB only horse connection is she rode up until 10 years ago and her claims to fame is she taught Marion Mold to ride! She was a superb horse woman!
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Thank you
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any help, suggestions appreciated!
 
I am a firm believer in Bowen and have had great results
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I now have Bowen treatments as a preventative measure. Obviously, you need to find a good Bowen practitioner who comes highly recommended. Good luck
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She has my total sympathy, after 7months of raging sciatica and mri scans etc i was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc and narrowing of the spinal canal. I have now had surgery which wasn't fun but it has done the trick. I was given loads of advice as to how to treat it, yoga, osteo, chiro, bowen etc but due to the nature of the problem none of these treatments would have made any difference. Has your mum had an mri? push your gp for a referral to a neurosurgeon, she shouldn't have to suffer regardless of her age.
 
this works like a charm for some types of sciatica (depends what's causing it.)
i was taught it by my McTimoney Chiro. i cured someone over the internet (member of my book group) and she'd been crippled for about a year with it, had been to doctor repeatedly, was on mega-painkillers, and was going up stairs on all fours, etc.
stand up, cross leg with sciatica behind the other one, weight mostly on your forward one. hold a chair or person for balance if necessary! VERY gently bend forward from the waist and let your head and arms dangle down towards your feet. don't bounce, don't force it, just let the weight drop slowly and gradually, and feel the stretch down the back of your leg. after 5-10 secs, slowly stand up again. you might need to do it more than once.
IF it's the 'right kind' of sciatica, this will turn the pain off like a magic switch, i promise. it's amazing. it cures mine instantly the moment it starts, i used to put up with it for weeks between Osteo appointments....
pls let me know if it works!
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My story is exactly the same as yours jrp204 except I am at the moment trying to book in with a neurosurgeon to see whether I need an op.

I have been using Bowen for the last 6 months and have had 4 treatments. I personally found it did help, hey maybe it was coincidence but I certainly think there is nothing to lose (apart from tenners) in trying. Also it is so gentle it would be kind to an elderly lady.

The mornings are the worst for me when I first get up. I would take 2 neurofen with a glass of milk and some food (kinder on the stomach) 1 hour before I am due to get out of bed. This really helped as the pain was really bad when I first start moving. Also the more I could move around the better, staying still makes it worse.

I would strongly recommend trying to get an MRI too, I have been to my doctor a couple of times because of the sciatica and was basically told to get on with it. It was only when I went to casualty due to another problem that needed an MRI that the prolapsed disc was spotted as the cause of the sciatica.
 
I could generally sit and lie ok, it was standing and walking which was the problem, it was so fustrating, now 12 wks post op it is so nice being able to walk the dogs and not having to sit down every 3 minutes. Has your gp not referred you?
 
Thanks so much for the replies!

Yes she has had an MRI and also a bone scan or something. She does have an old spinal injury where a horse reared and came over backwards on her but the neuro surgeon was convinced it wasn't causing a problem and that it was a muscle thing. Unfortunately at that point he lost interest and told her she should go to the pain clinic. Which she did, but they too have lost interest (once you are 86 I think people lose interest quite quickly
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Great to hear Bowen worked well for one HHOer! There is a good practitioner local to her and it seems there is nothing to lose in trying them. Am also looking at other more mainstream options too in case it doesn't work.

Lol flowerlady (and yes sorry I did mis-spell Mould!). Mum was a fantastic rider and teacher, but just a little depressing to be her daughter as my horses always went better for her than me
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I can lie down and walk OK, can't sit! But legs hurts like hell when I first get out of bed. I start off with a very bad limp but come sound the more I move.

I am in the system, waiting for an appointment.

Oldmare, I really feel for you and your Mum, it must be very worrying for you both. Interesting how sciatica affects people in different ways - is your Mum in pain all the time or, like me, in certain circumstances?
 
Actually mums is a bit like yours pootler, the one time she is pain free is lying down in bed, but standing, moving and often sitting is really painful. She can no longer reach up to the light switch as that's too painful.

Kerilli thanks for the exercise idea, we will definitely give it a try, but I doubt she can do it, unfortunately as her balance is shockingly bad due to the (useless) morphine patches and other assorted drugs
 
Your poor mum, she has my every sympathy - I had sciatica for about 2 years, the last 9 months or so of which I couldn't stand and do anything for more then 30 minutes, struggled to get up from low chairs and all in as I found out later was really getting quite painful, however as I seem to have an immense ability to ignore pain particularly constant pain, I didn't really notice it over time.

I no longer have sciatica, I was very fortunate to find a cure. However I wouldn't recommend this method:

1) Do not ride for 25 years, then decide to have a 'quiet' lesson on an ageing TB (companion to daughters pony) with your daughters instructor.
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(Also bear in mind you were never particularly good rider anyway)
2) Decide poor TB is going to be bored if you have the lesson in 'his' field - so take it down to your field where there is lots of grass, lots more than in 'his' field.
3) Get on and start lesson at walk - all fine, then try a bit of trotting. TB nicely behaved but definitely a spring in his step, being somewhere else.
4) TB decides this is fun to be doing something different and goes to canter, bounces and thinks better of it as he wasn't asked to, resulting in unseating and bouncing you off
5) Think quickly: oops ground coming up I do not want broken bones so relax totally, bounce on bottom, back and head. Ignore instructor trying not to laugh (but suppose it must have been very amusing)
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Resolve not to tell daughter!
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6) Get up and think oooh I feel strange, pins and needles in leg and a funny light feeling in leg (this is brain saying pain now gone). Be highly embarrased as you've fallen off
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7) next day you have no bruises and no sciatica, you get up out of bed without moaning and rolling off sidewards, and no-one believes it just 'went' (well one can't admit to falling off in case daughter finds out)
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I hope your mum gets some relief with the exercise and Bowen, and hopefully a cure from the doctors.
 
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i. i cured someone over the internet (member of my book group) and she'd been crippled for about a year with it, had been to doctor repeatedly, was on mega-painkillers, and was going up stairs on all fours, etc.!
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If you can treat my back/neck problems over the internet/phone, I'll pay your feed bill for a year - honestly!!!
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this works like a charm for some types of sciatica (depends what's causing it.)


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The problem with 'diagnosing' and 'presecribing treatment' over the internet is that IF the OP's Mum's sciatica is not the same as yours, that exercise could make it FAR worse!!

I suffered very severe sciatica some years ago - still have some bouts. Mine was due to a prolapsed disc CAUSED by too much leaning forward (mucking out etc.) and lifting. Treatment started with a spinal injection of steroids (to reduce the prolapse) and then physio which involved arching backwards (to help push the prolapsed disc back into place.) Leaning forward or forward stretches was avoided at all costs!!

Being a Mum (pregnancy, lots of picking up after sprogs etc.) AND a former horse rider, a disc prolapsed backwards is a much more likely cause. If so, backwards stretching is more likely to be of help. But a referral to an Orthopaedic Surgeon for an MRi and proper diagnosis is always the best place to start.
 
Sorry - just reread and noted your Mum's age - and previous misdiagnosis!

A gentle exercise that might help. Lie face down on floor, hot water bottle in small of back to relax muscles. GENTLY raise her upper body off floor using arms - keeping stomach on the floor (a cheat's push-up!) She should do this a couple of times a day - but only bend back to the point of a twinge - don't force it. Could also do it lying on bed - probably easier to start with and avoid the getting down/up!
 
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Equine Touch is much better than Bowen...

Google a practiioner near to you..


as for teaching Marion Mould/Coakes....RESPECT!!

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Respect indeed!
Re: Equine Touch - have you used someone yourself that you could recommend JMO?
 
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The problem with 'diagnosing' and 'presecribing treatment' over the internet is that IF the OP's Mum's sciatica is not the same as yours, that exercise could make it FAR worse!!


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fair enough, but i did say to do it very gently and gradually, it is just a slight stretch of the back of the leg, and it has never made anyone worse so far... it either works like a charm or makes no difference. to get rid of the grinding agony of sciatica, i think most people would give it a gentle try...
btw, i'm not 'diagnosing', i'm just suggesting a small stretch which works in many cases.
 
Now for a little lecture...

Okay, so I'm biased, as I do practise both Human and Equine Bowen myself. But I only trained as a Bowen therapist because I'd seen for myself some remarkable results from it.

There is no therapist on this planet (whether Bowen, Equine Touch, Chiro, Osteo, Physio, massage, cranio-sacral, etc. etc.) who can guarantee a cure for sciatica. If I met a therapist who made a guarantee to cure, I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole - they're lying. As a therapist, I am confident in the good that Bowen can do, but I will NEVER promise somebody a cure (although there's a very, very good chance that there will be at the very least a noticeable improvement in their quality of life).

All of the therapies listed above have postive effects, all CAN and WILL help in their various ways. But some clients respond better to say physio, while another person (or horse) may find that physio has done very little for them, but Bowen works for them. Chiro may work for one person, but not so well for another.

Oldmare - I would strongly suggest that your mum DOES give Bowen a try. It is gentle, non-invasive and there is a very, very good chance that it will provide her with a good degree of relief from her Sciatica.

My best wishes to you and your Mum, however, whatever route you decide to take.
 
Yes, yes, yes,....do it.

I was crippled with sciatica, tried everything and was lined up for surgery which could have wrecked me for life.

Tried Bowen and it WORKED!!!!! I went from crawling on my hands and knees crying in pain to walking up and down the stairs in 2 short sessions.

Please give it a go.
 
poppymoo I now do Pilates to help keep the sciatica away!!!

Brilliant for everyone who rides even if they arent an old crip like me!
 
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Re: Equine Touch - have you used someone yourself that you could recommend JMO?

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i have indeed..both myself and OH.....and the ponies!!

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Who was it? Genuine enquiry - am exploring all avenues for my neck problems and am in Wiltshire so Zummerzet not a problem!
 
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poppymoo I now do Pilates to help keep the sciatica away!!!

Brilliant for everyone who rides even if they arent an old crip like me!

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Tee hee....I am an old crip but the Pilates really keep me going....plus I have noticed my seat/position is better now my core muscles have improved.

Plus you can do it in the privacy of your own home whilst watching TV......
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Camilla,

I can't really speak for McTimoney, as I don't practise it. (Although I did try it once to see what it was all about.) In my experience, it is a very gentle form of Chiropractic. But in all honesty, I wouldn't like to try to describe it correctly as I don't know enough about it. I have heard of it producing some very good results however.

Bowen (and Equine Touch for that matter - which is a derivation of the original work of Tom Bowen) is completely different from McTimoney, or any other therapy, in that there is no manipulation, no high-velocity moves, no bone cracking or crunching, no massage. Bowen works by making gentle moves across muscle fascia (connective tissue - the white stringy stuff you see on a joint of meat). The fascia surrounds all of the body's muscles and also connects to the central nervous sytem, so that the entire body receives the full effect of one tiny Bowen move.
 
Thanks for such a comprehensive reply Faro! I will look into it I think (tried McTimoney and didn't get much benefit). Have major repercussions from an injury sustained long, long ago and am getting to end of my tether!
 
hia hunni. i really feel for you and your mum. i hope you get some answers soon hun. ive never heard of bowen therapy before?? would i ask my doctor about that??

i hope you dont mind me telling you abit about me but i feel abit lost at the moment and down, if i didnt have harley and my dog reeko i think i would feel even worse.

i am 21 years old and ive got scoliosis, syringomyelia, fibromyalgia and degenerative disc, im just wondering if anyone can help me??

i found out that ive got scoliosis when i was 13, i was told if i wanted the operation it would just be for cosmetic reasons. i started getting back pain but i was told it was just growing pains and maybe because i was mucking out horses etc, i went to the same cosultant till i was about 15 i think and he told me that i would only need the operation if my curve went over i think he said 50 degrees. i decided not to have the operation as i didnt mind how i looked. i went to see another consultant, i had another xray, mri scan my curve was now 70 degrees, he wanted to operate but when i told him about the pain he looked worried and said scoliosis shouldnt cause this amount of pain, so i went on to have more tests, xrays etc, found out that ive got syringomyelia but it isnt bad so they didnt want to operate on that. my consultant also told me that ive got fibromyalgia and then he said that because of the pain im in he refuses to operate because the risks are to high. i went to see another consultant a few months ago and he told me that ive got a degenerative disc. i keep getting really down, the pain is driving me mad and i feel very lost. just want to sort out the pain. it really hit me when i went to see my doctor and she told me that i will have to see how it goes when i come to break my youngster in as i might not be able to ride him. i am determined to get answers and sort out my back, my horse is only 18months at the moment so wont be breaking him in until hes 3 or 4 years old so im hoping by that time that i will have sorted out my back and be able to ride, i cant give up hope. i just want to be like my friends, ive not been round town for a proper night out in ages.

im sorry to bother you all with this i just need to get it of my chest.

xx
 
Harley, i can't comment at all on your back but just wanted to say, big hugs and huge sympathy for what you're going through. is it worth asking your consultant about gentle things like massage as well as Bowen, might help a little? sounds as if your pain meds aren't high enough either at the moment perhaps?
v best of luck.
 
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