Sep
5
2023

Ortho-Bionomy, A Path to Self-Care

Ortho-Bionomy, A Path to Self-Care

by Luann Overmyer

Ortho-Bionomy is based on the premise that the body inherently knows how to heal and self-correct, given the opportunity. This user-friendly self-help guide by one of the pioneers of the approach presents positions, postures, and movements designed to release tension and ease pain. Not only are the techniques simple to perform, but they can be done on one’s own, without the use of special equipment. Positions for each part of the body are clearly described in lay terms and illustrated with photos and drawings. Selected topics include low back, hip and knee pain, neck, shoulder, and rib releases, repetitive strain injuries, and arthritic pain in the hands. Quick fixes for sciatica, suggestions for dealing with menstrual cramps, and gentle movement exercises to address posture, scoliosis, and flexibility of the spine are just a few among 150 techniques described. The book also includes simple movements and exercises to increase ease, function, strength, and flexibility once the pain has subsided. Rounded out with human-interest stories and client examples, this accessible work can be used quickly and effectively by anyone with pain.

This new book is now available from: http://www.terrarosa.com.au/book/ortho_bionomy.htm

Sep
5
2023

Touch therapies for pain relief in adults.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a global public health problem affecting the lives of large numbers of patients and their families. Touch therapies (Healing Touch (HT), Therapeutic Touch (TT) and Reiki) have been found to relieve pain, but some reviews have suggested there is insufficient evidence to support their use.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of touch therapies (including HT, TT, and Reiki) on relieving both acute and chronic pain; to determine any adverse effect of touch therapies.

SEARCH STRATEGY: Various electronic databases, including The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED and others from their inception to June 2008 were searched. Reference lists and bibliographies of relevant articles and organizations were checked. Experts in touch therapies were contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) or Controlled Clinical Trials (CCTs) evaluating the effect of touch on any type of pain were included. Similarly, only studies using a sham placebo or a ‘no treatment’ control was included.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data was extracted and quality assessment was conducted by two independent review authors. The mean pain intensity for completing all treatment sessions was extracted. Pain intensity from different pain measurement scales were standardized into a single scale. Comparisons between the effects of treatment groups and that of control groups were made.

MAIN RESULTS: Twenty four studies involving 1153 participants met the inclusion criteria. There were five, sixteen and three studies on HT, TT and Reiki respectively. Participants exposed to touch had on average of 0.83 units (on a 0 to ten scale) lower pain intensity than unexposed participants (95% Confidence Interval: -1.16 to -0.50). Results of trials conducted by more experienced practitioners appeared to yield greater effects in pain reduction. It is also apparent that these trials yielding greater effects were from the Reiki studies. Whether more experienced practitioners or certain types of touch therapy brought better pain reduction should be further investigated. Two of the five studies evaluating analgesic usage supported the claim that touch therapies minimized analgesic usage. The placebo effect was also explored. No statistically significant (P = 0.29) placebo effect was identified.

AUTHORS’ CONCLUSIONS: Touch therapies may have a modest effect in pain relief. More studies on HT and Reiki in relieving pain are needed. More studies including children are also required to evaluate the effect of touch on children.

Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (4), pp. CD006535

Sep
5
2023

Massage or music for pain relief in labour

Research on massage therapy for maternal pain and anxiety in labour is currently limited to four small trials. Each used different massage techniques, at different frequencies and durations, and relaxation techniques were included in three trials. Given the need to investigate massage interventions that complement maternal neurophysiological adaptations to labour and birth pain(s), we designed a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the effects of a massage programme practised during physiological changes in pain threshold, from late pregnancy to birth, on women’s reported pain, measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS) at 90 min following birth. To control for the potential bias of the possible effects of support offered within preparation for the intervention group, the study included 3 arms – intervention (massage programme with relaxation techniques), placebo (music with relaxation techniques) and control (usual care). The placebo offered a non-pharmacological coping strategy, to ensure that use of massage was the only difference between intervention and placebo groups. There was a trend towards slightly lower mean pain scores in the intervention group but these differences were not statistically significant. No differences were found in use of pharmacological analgesia, need for augmentation or mode of delivery. There was a trend towards more positive views of labour preparedness and sense of control in the intervention and placebo groups, compared with the control group.

These findings suggest that regular massage with relaxation techniques from late pregnancy to birth is an acceptable coping strategy that merits a large trial with sufficient power to detect differences in reported pain as a primary outcome measure.

doi:10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.01.004