Expert: Stephen Cooper - 11/29/2005

Question
One year ago I fractured my sacrum and my pelvis.  I was offered no treatment other than Morphine, Vicodin and other such DRUGS.  Here I am, one year later, a recovering Morphine addict with severe back, pelvis, leg and sometimes neck pain.  I had a lesson with an Alexander teacher last week.  I found it to be wonderful and plan to continue.  I clearly see how this will help me in many ways, but I'm wondering if this will actually help with the healing process and or pain relief?

Thanks

Answer
Your teacher will have explained the technique in his or her own way, but he or she will be in accord with me if I say that the technique helps us to look at those habits in the way that we use ourselves that are harmful and go against natural good use, and helps us to re-establish good use in ourselves. As a result the technique is not specific to one complaint and can as you say help in many ways.  Firstly, enjoy your lessons and whatever benefit they bring to you as you work to learn about your use and to apply what you are learning.  In the process it is very likely that the technique will both help with the healing process and provide considerable pain relief. In both cases the reason is that both our long established habits of use and our responses to injury have lead to excessive and inappropriate muscular tension with consequent skeletal distortion and poor posture. The work will help you to release this excessive and inappropriate tension. This will provide relief from pain and will also make it easier for the body's healing processes to work for you (and prevent the further damage you are doing to yourself as you try in perhaps inappropriate ways to deal with your condition). In its nature the work that we do is quiet, unintrusive and patient.  Your teacher should be (and probably is) all of these things. The teacher should not be trying to fix things or make them better, and I am sure your teacher will understand these principles and this will inform their work.  I am sorry to hear about the terrible time you have had with palliative drugs.  It sounds as if you are already moving forward and recovering from the ill effects that these have had. Good luck with the Alexander Technique lessons and with your recovery.