Health issues can be perplexing.  What’s difficult is discerning how, why, where, or when a symptom started; symptoms may appear without apparent cause.  In general the surprise comes when we aren’t aware of what’s going on in our bodies. With the stress and pace of life we can become neglectful or tune out.  Another reason is that most of us don’t have a very clear understanding of dis-ease processes – we weren’t taught about it in school, nor were we taught how to change the mental, emotional, and/or physical patterns that can lead to dis-ease.  A disparaging health care system is creating an environment for us to become active with our own health and well being. A new health system is emerging, hopefully, one in which subjective experiences are highly valued, and an intimate relationship with one’s self is celebrated. The further we live from our selves, from understanding the consequences of our habits the closer we come to our deep constitutional enemy, dis-ease.

For the most part, medical issues don’t appear randomly, they’re the result of a string of events.  When a client is telling me about an ailment or a symptom I take a step back and refocus, I broaden my attention.  Of course, my interest is in the symptom because it’s a sign, but I really want to know why it’s present, why the body has manifested it, what factors have caused it?  I want to understand the symptoms, signs, themes and processes that have been happening – especially those that have been happening for a long time.  I want to see and understand the probable factors, tendencies, and habitual patterns that have contributed to the problem.  I want to know who a person is mentally, physically, and emotionally.   Symptoms are nothing more than patterns, as Dr. Rolf insightfully said, “patterns that perpetuate themselves.”  By the time a pattern presents itself as a symptom the chronic stage has moved on to what’s called the acute (of the chronic) stage, at this point outside intervention is be appreciated.

Here are two cases treated successfully with unconventional medicine.

1.)  Case of asthma.  Client complains of having trouble with asthma for 25+ years.  Must keep inhaler nearby at all times.  Uses inhaler 3-6 times daily.  Upon further inquiry other (seemingly unrelated) symptoms were present: stress from work and family, allergies, digestive issues, feels better traveling, wheezing cough, feelings of loneliness, sleepless, runny nose, tired, takes longer than what’s expected to recover from colds and flus.  I put together a time line which showed the asthma began at about 5-6 years old – a time of serious family discord – a key causation. Conventional drugs helped to manage the asthma, but with time and without a holistic approach life patterns would become more deeply ingrained and symptoms would probably become worse and eventually more difficult to treat.
After one homeopathic remedy, most symptoms have subsided, very little need for inhaler for the first time in many many years, needs to travel less.

2.)   Back pain.  Client complains of having thrown out back after reaching up for a light object.  On structural analysis left leg appears longer, right hip higher, left shoulder higher, strong curves especially in lower cervical/upper thoracic region of spine indicate spinal instability (when viewed from client’s back side.  The back pain was at the area of spinal vertebrae C-6, C-7, T 1-3, where the spine seemed to have the greatest degree of curve.  The right side of the spine looked “shorter” on visual analysis.  In movement assessment I perceived that the client had little movement through the painful area, breath was also compromised here.  The acute pain seemed to be a culmination of years of structural imbalances and asymmetrical use. It’s no wonder why simply reaching up caused such severe pain.

A process of Structural Integration allowed deviated spinal patterns and major body segments to come to a better state of balance, the result – pain relief.

Dr. A.T. Still said, “Anyone can find disease, it is the job of the doctor to find health.”  To supplement homeopathic remedies and structural bodywork I give insight, understanding, and homework for the habit patterns that I perceive.  I believe that a client’s participation is the key to good health. Those who can unwind from the grind and schedule time throughout their day for themselves really progress.  Change is coming, medicine is evolving.