Skip to main content

Could the Alexander Technique Be A Good Pain Management Technique For You?

Until recently, I never heard of the Alexander Technique.  But it has been around since the mid-1900s. Frederick Mathias Alexander was an  Australian actor who suffered bouts of laryngitis when performing.  Doctors could not seem to help him; in time he came to find a way to help himself. He came to realize that excess tension in his neck and body were at the root of his problems, and his discovered a method by which he could help himself to reduce the stress and the tension...and thus the Alexander Technique was born!




The doctors who treated Mr. Alexander were quite impressed with the outcome of his efforts. He was persuaded to help others with what he had taught himself.  Over a span of about fifty years he refined his technique to become the Alexander Technique we know today.  Following his death, a number of people who learned from Mr. Alexander taught the technique to others.  Even though you may have never heard of it, this method is alive and well for those who wish to learn it.

A recent study of British patients with chronic neck pain illustrates the promise that this technique may offer those with chronic pain.  The researchers studied the usual medical approach for neck pain compared with acupuncture and/or Alexander Technique treatment. Great improvements were seen in the subjects who received these alternative forms of care!

For more about the Alexander Technique, click here.

For more information about the British study, follow this link.

Wikipedia also has an interesting article on this topic....you can read it here!

Sources: Painweek.org; Alexandertechnique.com; Pixabay

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Living with Chronic pain hits the big screen!

Been to the movies lately?  Jennifer Aniston is on the big screen in a recent release titled "Cake." Her character, Claire is a victim of chronic pain...she belongs to a support group, where all of the members are coming to terms with the suicide of one of their members.  Of course, she also takes pain medication and addiction is another of her problems...and of course there's more! I guess I am writing this post just to bring readers' attention to the fact that Hollywood has become aware of the crisis that is chronic pain.  This movie is a testament to that. People that don't have to live with this kind of pain don't fully understand the whole story.  Maybe this movie will shed some light on the issues. Here is the official trailer for the movie: Sources: prweb;NorthJersey.com;YouTube

The Multimodal Approach to Pain Management

OK..so if you've been following this blog you will notice that there are a good number of ideas to help manage chronic pain.  You might ask yourself, "Which one of these ideas is best for me ?" I would suggest that you might try any number of these things, depending on your level of ability/disability, health care team recommendations, and your personal interests.  There are a number of reasons for doing this: 1) The patient is in control..with few exceptions, it is your decision what to try/not try and how many different things you want to experiment with at any time. 2) Non drug pain management ideas do not have any of the drug interactions or side effects that medications have.  You may have to set limits or modify activity according to personal circumstances, but usually it does not hurt to try any of them. 3)You usually do not need a prescription for most of the ideas I have described.  There are a few exceptions, such as physical therapy.  There ...

Beware Of The Tick!

It's tick season, everyone! And while we all know about Lyme Disease and its lingering effects, a new problem has entered the scene. According to the CDC, the Powassan virus is another tick-borne disease that has recently been recognized. The CDC says symptoms become apparent anywhere from one week to one month after infection. Symptoms include vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, problems with speech and seizures. Approximately half of those infected by this virus have permanent neurological symptoms, which can include muscle wasting, problems with memory, and recurrent headaches. Many people who have been infected with Powassan virus required hospitalization and sometimes even respiratory support (i.e., a respirator). Treatment is focused on supportive measures. In the meantime, preventive measures are the best way to avoid Lyme disease, Powassan virus , or any other tick-borne virus.  You can read more about preventive measures by clicking here . Sour...