What Are the Most Frequent Issues Treated by Bowen Technique?

The following list is not comprehensive, but covers the majority of common ailments for which Bowen treatment is suitable:

• Allergies and Hay Fever
• Back Pain
• Bed Wetting
• Bronchitis and Asthma
• Dizziness
• Frozen Shoulder
• Irregular Menstruation and PMS
• Jaw Problems
• Knee Problems
• Menopausal Complaints
• Migraine
• Organ Problems
• Pregnancy Complaints
• Sciatica
• Sprained Ankles
• Stiff Neck and Whiplash Injury
• Stress and Hypertension
• Tenosynovitis

What Success Rate Can I Expect?

In 1975 an Australian government survey found that Tom Bowen was treating 13,000 patients a year. He claimed an 88% success rate in significantly improving their condition or resolving their issues altogether.

How Quickly Does Bowen Therapy Take Effect?

In many cases, significant improvement will be seen after just 2 or 3 sessions. Severe conditions tend to require more, perhaps as many as 10 or even 20 weekly treatments. Chronic conditions may benefit from ongoing regular treatment, perhaps on a monthly basis.

What's Different About Bowen Technique?

Tom Bowen described himself as an osteopath. However, he was rejected membership of the osteopathic society of Australia because he didn't practice within the recognised bounds of that profession. He had a deep interest in anatomy and although he had spent time with the manipulators of his day, his own technique took on a different direction and with radically improved results.

How Did Tom Bowen Acquire His Skills?

Tom Bowen was essentially untrained. He picked up his initial approach to therapy from physiotherapists and masseurs, but his own unique procedures were developed from years of experimentation and clinical trials.

How Does Bowen Technique Help Me From a Religious Perspective?

Tom Bowen himself was a deeply religious man. There was no doubt that he was a natural healer and he frequently stated that his abilities were a "gift from God". You don't need to be religious to experience the benefits of Bowen treatment, but it helps to be open to the healing process as stimulated by the Bowen moves.

How Has The Bowen Technique Become So Widespread Today?

Tom Bowen passed on his knowledge to Oswald and Elaine Renstch. It is largely thanks to their teaching that there are now 29,000 Bowen Technique practitioners worldwide who are carrying on the work inspired by Tom Bowen.

When Was the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia Formed?

Oswald Rentsch vowed to pass on Tom Bowen's work when he died in 1982. However, it was not until 1986 that he and his wife Elaine began to teach. The BTAA was formed in 1987.

Is Bowen Technique Recognised by Western Medicine?

The benefits of Bowen therapy are now recognised by the medical profession in Australia, with many GPs training and offering the technique to complement their services. Bowen Technique has yet to be recognised in other countries but an increasing number of studies are reporting positive results.

How Does Bowen Technique Work?

From a Western Medical Perspective

The Eastern Alternative Interpretation

The alternative techniques of Chinese medicine include:

The Language of Spiritualism

What is Fascia?

Fascia is a set of inter-connected bands of muscle throughout the body. It is white and translucent and surrounds the major muscle groups. Anyone who has cooked a joint of meat will have noticed the tough sheets of white structural fascia in contrast to the underlying red muscle. The human body is very similar.

Why is Fascia The Focus of Bowen Therapy?

The role of fascia in maintaining posture is critical. The body maintains tension in the fascia as necessary to balance the forces in joints such as the knees, hips and lower back. The tension can vary in response to injury. In particular, the body can tighten up some parts in order to protect others. This is known as compensation.

The trouble arises when the pattern of compensation remains after the original injury has mostly healed up. In particular, muscles which are chronically over-tight can cause a high degree of pain. Bowen therapy aims to rebalance the pattern of tension to achieve a more even spread, akin to what would have been in place prior to injury. By making sure no no muscle in excessively tight, then the source of pain is removed.