| Revolutionary
way to cure back pain |
News reporter Heather
Wilkins climbs on a rack
to try out the treatment
Almost 120 million working
days were lost to back pain in the past certified year, with a cost
of over £6 billion to industry in lost production and £480 million
to the National Health Service. |
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| Sixty per
cent of adults get it and half of those turn into chronic
sufferers. Having a bad back is often something you have to
live with.
I hurt mine in a
drunken episode as a student at the age of 18 and thought
nothing more about it.
Then one day as I was out shopping my back suddenly went
'ping' and I spent two weeks horizontal on the sofa tortured
by daytime television.
It's never been the same since. Hard chairs and
soft sofas where my legs dangle over the sides are the worst.
So when a letter arrived on my desk offering a chance to
experience "body stress release" at the healing
hands of South African Paul Masureik I agreed
- I certainly had nothing to lose.
One day later I found myself nervously chatting
away to Paul in his comfortable Lightwater home.
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt and you get to keep your
clothes on," he reassured me as he quizzed me on my
medical history.
I signed my rights away in a disclosure form and
stepped up to the large padded treatment table. He slowly
lowered me, face down on the couch, until I was lying on the
rack.
Then began the most bizarre treatment I have ever had
for my back problems, and believe me I have had a few.
According to the blurb the series of gentle shoves Paul
performed on my arm and back were pressure tests to locate
locked-in body stress. |
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Body
Stress Release originated in South Africa where Paul studied
for five months before setting up his practice over here, and
works by stimulating the muscles of the back by stroking and
pressing.
"Your feet are talking to me, Heather," he
said as he measured my individual response to the pressure
tests.
If a muscle is stressed and contains a lot of tension the leg
on the same side shortens. Apparently my feet had a lot to
say!
It is quite hard not to be sceptical when you are
lying face down on a padded couch in a strange man's living
room but I came with an open mind.
Four treatments
later I was convinced. Strangely, bizarrely, it did work
for me.
At first it was hard to notice. The brain can play tricks and
while pain is hard to ignore when you feel comfortable, you
just get on with life. |
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Paul is only one of seven therapists (March
2000) practicing in this
country. He even travels to Kent to have the same treatment
for a painful shoulder.
"I am really keen to work together with a local GP
to help patients who cannot get relief from their back
pain," said Paul.
He has built up a practice of about 100 patients since
completing his training 18 months ago. |
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Denise
Hesse, who lives in Windlesham and works at an estate
agency, suffered from migraines for years before going
to see Paul.
She said: "I suffered from awful migraines
and had to spend days in bed ill. I have tried
acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, my GP and got
absolutely nowhere. After a few visits to Paul I felt a
real difference and now I hardly ever get one.
"He really helped me when no-one else could
and I can't thank him enough. I still go a couple
of times a year just to make sure the headaches
don't return."
Body Stress
Release is just one of many complementary therapies on
offer to soothe an aching back or revive tired muscles.
Anyone who would like
more information should call Paul on 01276 475651
Heather Wilkins March 17,
2000 |
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