What a SCENAR Session is Like

The first session is where many important things happen. First, I have you fill out some paper work so I know what is going on and start to formulate an idea of where to begin. Once we have talked about what issues you bring to the table, I can create an initial treatment plan. I discuss the plan I think will work with you and show you the SCENAR and how it works.

Let’s suppose you have pain in your neck and shoulders (many, many people do). I place the device on an area proximal to where we will work and bring up the sensation level until you feel a buzzing or tingling. The SCENAR will work regardless of whether or not you feel it, but feeling it helps you track not only where I am working, but also other places in your body where the sensation may travel. This tells me other areas to work that may have a healing impact.

Then I begin to stroke your neck and shoulders with the instrument. I am looking for places where the skin turns red and/or the device “drags” over an area. These are called “sticky” places and they indicate  what are called “asymmetries,” which is the way your body tells me where to work. There is a difference in the skin impedance between an area that is unhealthy and an area that is healthy, and the SCENAR picks that up.

When I determine where the asymmetries are, I focus on them and narrow down, through stroking, to what is called the “smallest asymmetry” in an area. Once found, I hold the device there until it gives me a signal that the healing chemicals (neuropeptides) have arrived at the spot. When they do, they immediately begin the process of healing, and the skin impedance changes. The device is looking for this and when it happens, there is a series of bells that tell us that the first “dose” of neuropeptides has arrived at the spot. The body’s healing attention is refocused on the area.

From there I look for other areas and treat them in the same way. There are typically several areas involved in neck and shoulder pain in the neck, upper back, shoulder, clavicle area in the front of the neck, and the muscles involved there.  I continue to treat any area that shows distress (asymmetries).

Usually, when I have treated all that I have found, you will feel substantial release from pain, more freedom of movement, and a sense of well being overall. Often this is most noticeable the next morning after the treatment.

Generally, after a SCENAR treatment, you will leave with a sense of relief from pain and an over all sense of well being in your body. The parasympathetic system is activated, so you will likely also feel a sense of relaxation.

It is important to drink water after a session because as the body heals it releases toxins from the tissues and you will want to wash them out of your system as efficiently as possible.

Chronic conditions may require 5 to 10 treatments.  Acute situations require fewer sessions which must done more frequently.

SCENAR is effective with any kind of injury, post surgery, and chronic conditions. If you have pain, call us at 828-337-6854. Mention this post for a 20% discount on the first session.

SCENAR for Athletes

Used by the Russian athletes in the 2000 Olympics, SCENAR can effectively improve training and performance. During marathon competitions in the late 1990’s, SCENAR was used to not only treat injuries so that athletes could return to competition, but was also found to enhance rapid recovery from the exhaustion of long periods of high physical stress. When added as a regular training aid, SCENAR can increase physical recovery and regulation as well as protecting against muscle strains, overuse, and other injuries. This makes it possible for athletes to sustain a more intensive training, thereby increasing their performance parameters.

Athletes using SCENAR during training experienced shorter recovery times required after training, thereby making their training routines more efficient. The effect of the treatments revitalizes and restores the body’s healing capacity which improves its ability to accommodate training stress. Using SCENAR right after training sessions promotes faster recovery and improves endurance.

Perhaps the most well known effect among athletes is the SCENAR’s ability to accelerate the healing of acute injuries. If SCENAR treatment is begun within moments of an injury, it can significantly minimize the swelling, bruising, and pain that would normally occur, allowing a return to training or competition in a minimal amount of time. Because of the instrument’s compact size, it can be carried along with the athlete to competitions or during training routines. The SCENAR has also been documented to be useful in resolving chronic or repeated injuries by reducing pain and improving strength in an injured joint or muscle. It is used extensively in rehabilitation practices with athletes in Russia, Europe, and Australia.

For some research and testimonial articles related to SCENAR and its use by athletes go here.

An Excellent Complement to SCENAR Therapy-The Alexander Technique

Because SCENAR is so complementary to other modalities, we are always looking for ways our clients can augment and facilitate what we are doing related to relieving their pain. There are times when the pain we are treating is based in structural issues or ways in which our clients are habitually using their muscles. The SCENAR can re-educate the muscles to resume their natural positions with resulting pain relief, but these changes can be overridden by old postural habit patterns set up in the body, and the pain can return. In chronic situations, consistent and frequent SCENAR treatment can over time shift the body into healthier muscle use patterns. Typically, our clients are interested in what they can do to help themselves and we often give them ideas about things they can do to improve the way they use their bodies. But, we recently encountered something that has the potential to give our clients a way to support what we are doing with SCENAR as well as learn how to use their muscles and bodies in ways that promote health and prevent any recurrence of pain.

One of the things we love about the field of natural medicine is the numerous alternatives that we are exposed to that promote health and well being. I have a personal interest in this because of having had polio with residual paralysis of my left foot. Needless to say, wearing a brace on my left lower leg sets me up for all manner of improper muscle use all over my body and all the varieties of pain from my neck down to my feet that result from that. Complicating that is Post Polio Syndrome which is caused by the death of motor neurons damaged in the initial polio infection that have been overused for a lifetime. A progressive condition, I was told early on that I would end up in a wheelchair. I believe SCENAR has slowed that progression and it is a God send for managing the pain I encounter from living in this wounded temple. Now I have found another incredible tool that will help me assist my body even further.

The Alexander Technique was developed over a hundred years ago by F. Matthias Alexander, a young Australian actor, who discovered that unconscious habits of posture and movement can interfere with the performance of normal activities. Originally used by performers involved in music, dance, drama, and opera, it has now gone mainstream and is used as a practical method to promote body awareness, flexibility, energy conservation, and ease in daily activities. The technique engages the thinking process and refines an individual’s ability to perceive the way they move. Through observation, experimentation, and an Alexander teacher’s guidance, habitual muscular tension and awkward or inefficient movement patterns are reduced or eliminated. The stress and demands of modern life have fostered a virtual epidemic of neck, back, and other problems related to misaligned posture and improperly tensed muscles. The method is considered not a therapy, but an educational process, whereby awareness can be brought to an area of tension in the body and that tension can be consciously released allowing the muscles to resume their normal positioning. The Alexander Technique empowers and enables people of any age to make positive, lasting changes in their personal movement patterns that can be applied to daily functional activities such as walking, stair climbing, moving in and out of chairs, bending, and reaching as well as the more complex movement tasks of work, sports, or the performing arts.

We found out about this technique through Michele Drivon who learned to be an Alexander teacher through three years of training in California. She was interested in how SCENAR could compliment her work, just as we were interested in how her work could benefit our clients. Because of my personal situation, I’ve been working with her individually and have been impressed with the helpful learning experience it has proven to be (for more information on my personal experience, go to the Healing Tips page). We are happy to recommend her to anyone who has pain related to muscle tension and postural issues. She can be reached at 828-712-2804.

Recession Related Stress Increases Physical Pain

In a recent online survey of 2,192 Americans, the American Pain Foundation discovered that 68% of people who experienced acute back pain or other minor muscle strains and sprains, believe the stress of the economic recession contributed to their pain.

• 27% said that greater stress, pressure, anxiety, and worry related to the recession had a big impact on their pain.
• 29% said that working harder on the job or at home impacted their experience of pain.
• 21% said health problems related to the recession like sleeplessness, eating habits, or cutting back on health care affected their pain levels.

These responses reflect the impact that stress can have on the body. This survey reveals an actual physical effect that translates into pain and injuries for Americans working harder to make ends meet. As many take on more work on the job and at home to cope with economic uncertainty, it is affecting their health.

The survey also found that only 43% sought help from a healthcare professional, preferring to “tough it out.” Without proper treatment of acute injuries, chronic pain and other conditions can develop.

SCENAR treatment can not only reduce stress, but can facilitate rapid recovery from acute injuries and pain. Don’t let the pain from an incompletely healed injury become chronic. If you have back or muscle pain, call Healing Innovations at 227-6854 to discuss what SCENAR treatment can do for you.

A good resource for pain information and pain support is The American Pain Foundation.

I LOVE my SCENAR!

Mostly at Healing Innovations we work with chronic pain, where our clients have tried all kinds of therapies to deal with a problem pain with no luck and they decide to try us out. It is gratifying to see their pain relieved and their smile return after a few treatments. Personally, the SCENAR has helped me deal with the chronic pain of Post Polio Syndrome, allowing me to live my life without so many of the disabling effects of the disorder.

But, it is with acute pain that the device can be really amazing. Because the body is “already on it” with an injury, the SCENAR can assist its efforts to the point of resolving the issue within hours with no swelling or bruising. When we began having direct personal experience with this, we realized the stunning power of the body to heal itself. Owning a SCENAR provides one with a powerful tool to deal with everyday kinds of injuries from stubbed toes to back strains.

Even the everyday kinds of things like bee stings can be completely resolved within hours, with the pain usually gone after 20 minutes of treatment. A friend of mine used it on a scorpion sting and completely eliminated the pain in a few minutes with no sign of the sting the next day. When she was recently at a North Carolina beach, she, her sister, and her two nephews were stung by jellyfish. After treating the stings for 20 minutes the pain was gone with no residual effects.

Today, I went out to the garden to take on the Morning Glory which was overrunning everything. As I began to pull it off of the plants, thousands of mosquitoes emerged and began having me for dinner! I bravely fought on for a while before my arms and face were ablaze with the worst itchiness I’ve ever experienced. Defeated, I ran inside and got out the SCENAR. I started with the five bites on my face, treating each for two minutes. Then I moved to my arms and treated the 15 bites for two minutes each. When I was done, the itching was gone, the swelling was gone, and I was feeling much better!

I just have to marvel! If I was independently wealthy I would give these devices out on the street corners! Everyone should have one.  The dream of the inventors was that everyone would have one in the home first aid kit. I could not agree more. I often wonder how much money in various medications it has saved me over the last 5 years. It is my body’s friend, always ready to assist it to do its own miraculous healing work. I love my SCENAR!

Upcoming Events

This spring will be an exciting time for Healing Innovations. On March 21-22 Kathy and Penny will be providing free SCENAR demonstrations for participants in the 2009 Organic Growers School Spring Conference at Blue Ridge Community College. The SCENAR can be a significant help to anyone who gardens or farms with the strains and muscle overuse involved in that work. It is also “organic” in the truest sense of the word in that it improves the body’s own ability to heal itself with no drugs or invasive methods. Since Kathy and Penny are also organic gardeners, they hope to be able to learn from some of the lectures as well.

As representatives of the large number of  natural health practices in this area, Kathy and Penny have been invited to be members of a panel at the Boomers and Beyond Summit to be held at the Reuter Center on the UNCA campus on April 14, 2009. They will discuss ways in which use of SCENAR can facilitate the maintenance of a healthy and active lifestyle in natural and effective ways.

And most exciting, Kathy and Penny will be traveling to Fort Worth, Texas to train with Alexander Revenko, one of the two inventors who worked together in the Russian space program to develop the SCENAR technology. The training conference, on April 16-19, is hosted by Tomatex and is Revenko’s first training to be held in the US. His company manufactures and distributes the RITM SCENAR that Healing Innovations uses in our treatments.