www.womanthismonth.com 65 August 2013 headaches, spinal problems, arthritis, digestive problems, back problems, sports injuries and other postural problems caused by pregnancy, driving or sitting behind a desk. While treating her clients, she also advises what exercises the client can do at home to maximise overall benefits. “The most important advice is to develop a maintenance programme after the problem is identified and treated,” she says, encouraging people of any age to benefit from osteopathy. “The earlier in life osteopathy is incorporated into an individual’s health and wellbeing, the better.” Back in Bahrain Lana is familiar with the shores of Bahrain after spending many years here before returning to her homeland, Australia, to work as an osteopath. Acknowledging the demand for complementary therapies in Bahrain, she returned to the island and became its staunchest advocate for much needed options to traditional medicine. Around the world, complementary therapies are integrated within the traditional healthcare system. For example, an osteopath’s practice may be housed within a hospital or another type of multi-disciplinary setting, where he/ she works alongside a general practitioner (GP), specialist doctors, chiropractors and massage therapists. The advantage is that a patient can have a holistic approach to their care all under one roof. “It’s about networking and working in teams to provide the best options for the patient,” says Lana, who eventually would like to see this setup in Bahrain. She has worked diligently over recent years to have her profession and that of other complementary therapies recognised and protected through ministry licensing. There are plans to educate communities about the benefits of allied health. Lana’s clinical practice is taking shape in the Seef area, where she already works with physical therapists. Her immediate plans include bringing in more osteopaths, chiropractors, cranial sacral therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, Pilates instructors and eventually a GP. Visit www.backonthemove.com. Our Expert: Dr Amy Bowzaylo Chiropractor, Intouch Integrated Chiropractic Spine Center The rise of complementary therapies in Bahrain extends to chiropractic care, which has seen its first chiropractor make the leap to the island from a busy practice at Saad Specialist Hospital in Al Khobar. Working for a decade in Saudi Arabia, Dr Amy Bowzaylo saw more than 30 per cent of her patient base crossing the causeway from Bahrain. After the doors began to open for licensing in Bahrain, it made sense for the Canadaeducated chiropractor to open her own clinical practice to meet the growing demand for chiropractic services in addition to promoting complementary therapies on the island. Dr Amy’s centre will have chiropractic medicine, physical therapy, functional exercise rehabilitation, massage therapy and hydrotherapy. Like Lana, she also believes the best model for patients is an integrated setting where healthcare professionals work together. To illustrate the effectiveness of this model, Dr Amy says, “I might have a patient who comes to me for a back problem, but after examination, I think he might have a kidney infection, requiring a specialist doctor. In an integrated setting, I could then send the patient to the receptionist, where they can book an appointment with a urologist. This is high quality healthcare at its best.” Can’t fix everything with a pill Greek for ‘done by hand’, chiropractic is a popular therapy around the world involving the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of problems related to bones, joints, muscles and nerves, particularly those of the spine. It is currently established in over 70 countries. With a strong research base, it is becoming widely accepted into mainstream healthcare, from hospitals through to full Olympic recognition in sports medicine. “Chiropractic is all about maintaining symmetry and alignment so we can go about our daily activities and play sports using repeated motions without hurting ourselves,” Dr Amy explains. In response to the demand for chiropractic on the island, she says the Middle East is The earlier in life osteopathy is incorporated into an individual’s health and wellbeing, the better
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