Back Pain, Neck Pain

Back pain, neck pain, headaches, Alexander Technique can help you learn how to suffer less. And the Alexander Technique also gives you so much more than pain relief.

You can discover improved mobility, alertness, confidence, general health and inner calmness, according to a recent survey carried out by STAT (the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique.)

On a basic level, Alexander Technique teaches us not to compress, hunker-down, or stress ourselves in the face of life’s challenges. That’s why it’s used by actors for the stage, by presenters for meetings, by golfers and sporty types for poise, by teachers and lecturers for stress-relief, by people with posture pain for relief, and by anyone who wants to take back control of their life.

A study funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the NHS Research and Development Fund has highlighted the effectiveness of Alexander Technique…

After a year of treatment patients in the study receiving normal care, such as massage, endured 21 days of back pain in the previous month. However, those who received 24 lessons of Alexander technique experienced 18 fewer days of misery. Thats right, learning the Alexander Technique can reduce your back pain by 86% and drop it to just 3 days a month. That’s really significant!

My chronic low back pain was related to slouching? As lessons showed the connection, the pain gradually went away — The Technique is true education. — John H.M. Austin MD, Professor of Radiology, New York, NY

But don’t just use Alexander Technique to reduce your pain – by having a wide, open and upright posture you’ll look better, and feel more in control. And by noticing when stress starts to pull you down, you can avoid over-reacting and losing your cool.

The results are always the same – more poise, energy and confidence, and less pain.

The end result: you look leaner, taller, more poised and confident. BBC.CO.UK

In a study by the British Holistic Medical Association on chronic pain, The Alexander Technique was their favourite approach to long-term pain relief.

So how does Alexander Technique work for back pain?

Alexander Technique Teachers (like me!) are highly specialised and trained to gently and skillfully bring your head into its best relationship with the top of your spine. This allows tensions in the back, and then the whole body, to be released.

This means a more expansive, more fluid way of moving, resulting in less stress on your body – your muscles, your joints, and of course your mind. Alexander Technique Teachers help you to maintain this over time, until you’re able to practise the technique for yourself.

Learning The Alexander Technique gives your body time to heal. It combines well with other elements in a back rehabilitation program. It can help you recuperate from surgery, derive the maximum benefit from your fitness program, help you improve how you do your physical therapy exercises. It can also extend the benefits of osteopathy, chiropractic, massage and acupuncture.

Alexander Technique Teachers prefer to address the causes rather than the symptoms of your back and neck pain.

By helping you to realign and refresh your spine, and teaching you how to move with greater ease and poise, you become the catalyst for your own recovery, relieving  back pain and preventing further injury.

As you begin to use your own body with more skill, the causes of your pain are reduced – or removed.

The Alexander Technique helped a long-standing back problem and to get a good night’s sleep after many years of tossing & turning.  – Paul Newman, actor

The Alexander Technique is very safe and gentle. I work slowly and carefully with you. Each session is an experiment in movement, often fun and entertaining, where you remain completely in control. You won’t find me wrenching you around, or hurting you!

If you’re one of the millions of Britons who has a working car and a broken body, but you spend less on maintaining your good health than you spend on your car, then learning the Alexander Technique will show you how to ‘drive’ your own body. And the process is effortless so you can start as soon as you like.

I recommend people to the Alexander Technique who have not improved with traditional rehabilitative therapies. Part of their pain may be due to posture and the improper use of their bodies. Many people who have neck or back pain and have gone through heat, ultrasound and massage with no relief can be helped by learning the Alexander Technique. It definitely works. Nothing works for everyone, as one well-versed in using physical therapy and biofeedback, I know how valuable this technique is. I highly recommend it.

Barry M. Schienfeld, MD, Specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine and Pain Management

Call me on 0161 4316977, or use my contact form to set up your session.