by Nancy Bittinger

If our shoulder hurts, maybe the problem is in the tailbone. Pain doesn’t always originate at the spot where it’s felt. Just as a pebble thrown into a pond causes ripples, tension in one part of the body can send pain radiating to another. Restoring balance to these out-of-balance regions activates the body’s inherent healing powers for lasting relief.

Bowen therapy might seem like a kind of massage therapy, but there’s a big difference. Its inventor, Tom Bowen, was an Australian manual therapist who recognized the body’s innate ability to heal. Low-pressure stimuli at points of musculoskeletal tension and stress, he discovered, trigger a healing process that radiates throughout the body and delivers balance to joints, limbs and nerves.

Bowen therapy patients can expect a different experience, and they might feel the benefits during and immediately after the first session. The Bowen therapist doesn’t go straight to the point of pain, but first assesses the entire body for imbalances. Hands-on pressure at key points releases any tension that’s discovered, and the body responds by letting go of the pain.

Physicians of all kinds, including orthopedists and pain management specialists, are discovering the benefits of Bowen therapy. Some have found that their patients are canceling surgeries or getting off pain medications completely. Many feel complete, lasting relief from their pain after three to five weekly sessions.