This page contains testimonials from Paul’s patients and copies of the original
documents that were submitted to New Zealand’s
leading Complementary and Alternative Health magazine.
“Living with IRRITABLE BOWEL Syndrome.”
It all started off with realising that I was going to the toilet more and more, until I got to the stage that I would feel uncomfortable leaving the house to go to work. I put up with this for a long time not knowing how to stop it. You just think that you ate something that didn’t agree with your stomach.
I went to the doctor because it was getting worse with a pain on the left side
Of my stomach, The doctor really didn’t know what was wrong, he just put me on tablets that didn’t do anything. I put up with the pain and tried to carry on with my life while at the same time getting worse. I couldn’t even hold any fluids down because they went straight through me. As you can imagine this really interfered with my job. Things got so bad with the pain that I could hardly walk and at the same time I became really lightheaded because I was dehydrated, (not being able to hold any fluids down)
I went to the doctor again. He put me up on the table and I curled up there crying and I told him “I don’t care what you do just take away the pain.” The doctor still did not know what was wrong with me. He put me into hospital straight away. It took 4 hours for them to finally put me in a room where they put a drip in me, I wasn’t allowed to eat anything because the doctors thought they might have to operate. Even these doctors could not tell me what was wrong. The second day I was in there I was allowed to eat but only jelly and ice-cream. I got sick of being in there and asked to go home. They let me but only on an ice-cream and jelly diet for a week until I was able to see the doctor again.
One week later I went to the doctor and walked out of there twice as confused as I walked in. I had no idea what to do next. The hard thing was that I had to carry on with my life and as you can imagine its hard to go out and enjoy yourself with this problem.
Socialising became very hard because I couldn’t go anywhere feeling comfortable. I had to be very careful what I ate and I was constantly in pain and feeling sick. It just about split up my relationship because I didn’t want to have visitors and feeling sick all the time meant mood swings and total unhappiness.
I finally got an answer to my problem, the diagnosis said I had something called Irritable Bowel Syndrome but the doctors don’t know what causes it or how to treat it. You are supposed to carry on with your life feeling this way, well not me. I told them I wanted a dietician and got an appointment for a month later.
I went over to a friend’s place and I was telling her what I had been going through. Her sister in law told me that she also had the same problem. She had developed it when she was pregnant. She told me to take some to take some herbal tablets and what they were called and how she copes. It made me feel better because I wasn’t the only one in the world with this problem.
The next day I went and got these capsules called Lower Bowel Cleanse, which were from a Naturopath. These capsules emptied you out in the morning so that you were able to continue the rest of the day without feeling bloated and uncomfortable. These herbs made my life bearable although I still sometimes had a little pain, but the pain was bearable.
Then I found a man called Paul O’Connor who told me he could maybe help my problem. I was sceptical at first, but I had nothing to lose and I gave it a go.
I would recommend ‘The Bowen Technique’ to anybody.
Please if my story sounds like what you are going through please give this type of Treatment a go and you won’t believe the change.
Believe it or not my relationship has never been so good. Total happiness.
Julie Anderson Monday, 3 May 1999
“Golfers Elbow and major pain.”
Golfers Elbow and major pain
My complaint started after an incident lifting my beams while I was trying to build my garage. After the accident The problem was diagnosed as golfers elbow. My symptoms were bad pain, weakness, and loss of feeling in my arms and fingers. This is ok if you have to move thistles and roses
The first plan to solve the pain and weakness used Physio which meant turning up every day getting suction cups and strapping. After 14 days with not much relief and even more bruising I gave up on the physiotherapy. The doctor gave me two other options:
Cortisone injections for short term relief; (I wasn’t born a sieve so there is no need to poke holes in me - no I didn’t want cortisone); or
Nerve tests in Rotorua to get more information and a possible operation.
“The specialist doing the nerve test said it was up to me whether or not I chose to have surgery as they could not guarantee it would solve my problem - it could even make it worse.
I was not happy to go under the knife if the outcome was uncertain, so I chose to go without any of my medical choices and just try and tough it out.
After a period of time I lost muscle tone in my forearms and couldn’t manage lifting or do any normal day to day tasks without inflicting heaps of pain and discomfort.
Sleeping became a problem, and the pain was so bad I used alcohol to get me to sleep. Later the pain would often wake me up, so I wasn’t getting proper rest
Watching TV was hard as I couldn’t rest my arms on the arm rests without experiencing pain. Fitness and exercise became a non-event – I just could not do it.
I used to box and this young bloke I had been training suggested I gave his dad who uses the bowen technique a try. I was pretty sceptical.
My first appointment with Paul O’Connor was on Melbourne cup day the first Tuesday in November
I had four treatments a week apart.
I can feel my hands, and when they get punctures from thorns and roses I don’t thank him.
I can rest, all is good.”
Snow Holmes 18 Waverly Street Gisborne
CHILD BIRTH LABOUR
I was first introduced to Paul by my partner who had been seeing Paul regularly for over ten years. I had been in labour for 24 hours at this stage and was unable to rest with constant contractions. Within 15 minutes of treatment, I was calm and asleep. I had never undergone any therapy before, so I was extremely apprehensive. Paul was excellent in talking me through the process in words I understood.
Paul has become my preferred therapist. My family and I were very saddened to hear of his relocation from Rotorua to Katikati. However, his relocation has not changed our opinion; we regularly travel to see Paul. Paul is extremely engaging with our son, who whenever he has an ailment, whether it be illness or injury, asks to see Paul.
Shannon Keepa
CRUSHED BY A TREE
I met Paul through my daughter. I was involved in a forestry accident almost 30 years ago. As a result, I have undergone several surgeries and been prescribed a cocktail of pain medication all to no avail.
After one treatment with Paul, I was able to sleep the entire. Paul is easy to talk to and explains everything without all the jargon. I will see Paul for as long as he practices.