Alternative Treatments

Back ache is a real pain, not just physically but financially too. Two-and-a-half million people have back pain and close to 120 million working days are lost to due to it. It affects two-thirds of adults in the UK and 60 to 80 per cent will be affected at some time in their lives. It is estimated to cost the NHS, business and the economy £5 billion per year.

Back pain can strike anyone at any age, although studies show that people between the ages 45 and 59 are the most vulnerable. Jane Williamson is one of the many sufferers of back pain, but fortunately has managed to find a successful treatment to end the constant ache in her lower back that she suffered for more than a year. "I would wake up every morning with a pain in my lower back. It was like a niggling, dull pain, but it never really went away," she explains. "I know I probably should have seen my GP, but I'm the type of person who doesn't like to make a fuss."

Jane, 29, from Edinburgh is a keen sportswoman, and plays County Golf for Midlothian. She is fit and healthy. However her job involves a lot of driving and desk work and she has played golf since she was 11. Jane believes that these have been contributing factors to the pains in her back. "We used to carry our clubs with one strap which meant you were quite lopsided and my back pain could have stemmed from that. Now you carry them with two straps like a rucksack, which is much better for your back. "I found out about Body Stress Release through a friend of a friend, and I thought I would give it a try. "I had four sessions, concentrating mainly on my lower back pain. Kerry is very thorough and takes a full medical history. "The therapy was quite unusual and is very difficult to describe. It's not as relaxing as having a massage, but I did feel like something was releasing. She uses a light pressure with her fingers to release the tension and stress. At the end you feel very relaxed and revitalised.

"She also gave me some exercises to do at home. One of them helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles and involves lying on the bed and pulling in your stomach muscles 100 times, which doesn't take long and beats sit-ups. There are also a couple of exercises for my neck that I can do sitting at my desk. After three sessions the pain had gone. I had a fourth session to ensure all the stress had been released. I quizzed Kerry about everything she was doing and have to admit I was very sceptical, but I'm very impressed with the results."

Jane is now looking forward to getting back to her rigorous golf training. "I'm pleased that my back pain has gone in time for the start of the season. The fitness training for golf concentrates on the back and core stability areas of the body, which are key to your swing and that should be easier without the pain." Jane is also taking part in the Caledonian Challenge in June, which involves walking 54 miles of the West Highland Way within a 24-hour period for charity. "I want to be fit and healthy for that too and I may need to go back to Kerry after that, when I have a feeling my body might be quite stressed," she says.

Kerry says, Jane's problem had a lot to do with the way she uses her body. She knows that she slouches and due to her job she is seated a lot. "She gets the occasional niggles in her neck after driving, but I've advised her to visit the Posturite Shop on Haymarket Terrace to get a seat wedge which will allow her knees to be lower than her hips, and back roll to support the hollow in her lower back. These are not expensive and can make a big difference."

Kerry Teakle is the only practitioner of Body Stress Release in Scotland. The technique was pioneered in South Africa and assists the body in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself. It is a gentle technique designed to help the body rid its stored tensions. With the person fully clothed and lying down, areas of body stress are located using the body as a biofeedback monitor. Light, precise stimulation encourages the body to release stored tensions, which usually manifest as backache, headaches, postural distortions or fatigue. Releasing is rapid, and while Kerry recommends three sessions, if stress has been stored for a long time, more releases may be required.

Self-help exercises are given to do at home as well as advice on possible causes and ways to avoid the pain. Since returning from South Africa where she trained, Kerry has successfully treated a wide range of clients from new born babies to older people with a wide range of symptoms.

Kerry explains that we are all subjected to various stresses: chemical, such as the food we eat; emotional, like work or family pressures; and mechanical, such as the way we lift things or exercise. Whilst BSR is not a treatment of any disease or condition, back problems are one of the many reasons people come to see Kerry. "Most people have a back problem even if they're not actually feeling it in their backs. We forget that areas of the body are all inter-connected and pain in one area can have a knock on effect on other areas," says Kerry. "They may have niggling pains in their neck or twitching legs at night, which are signs of their nervous system going into overdrive. Tension in the lower back can also put pressure on the body's organs, and the body may not be functioning at an optimal level."

See also www.bodystressrelease-uk.co.uk.