GUT REACTION

treating crohn’s disease with rhythmical massage therapy

Orla Liddy is a 30 year old trainee architect who has recently completed her post-graduate degree course. Whilst studying she has been living with her parents in Northern Ireland. At 15 she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a potentially life-threatening condition which affects the bowel, causing extreme inflammation and pain, and bringing a variety of complications.

Crohn’s disease affects between 30,000 and 60,000 people in the UK, with over 3,000 new sufferers diagnosed every year. Crohn’s causes inflammation of the whole of the alimentary canal from where food enters the mouth right through to where it leaves the body, top to tail. It often causes ulcers and scarring to the wall of the intestine. The most commonly affected sites are the lower part of the small intestine (the terminal ileum) and the large intestine. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, urgent diarrhoea, intestinal bleeding, fever, lethargy, fatigue and weight loss. Most people develop Crohn’s before they are 30 and the peak age is 14-24. Celebrities who have spoken out about their problem include Carrie Grant from BBC’s Fame Academy, and pop star Anastacia.

Treatment can include surgery to remove inflamed or scarred sections of the bowel, and in severe cases a colostomy which is sometimes reversed once the acute problem has improved. Anti-bacterial drugs and corticosteroids are sometimes prescribed, but these can cause unpleasant side effects. Sufferers usually have to avoid foods which are very high in fibre as these are harder to digest and can irritate the digestive tract. Spicy food can also aggravate symptoms, as can stressful situations and anxiety.

Orla was perhaps more affected by her final degree exams than she realised. As a youngster doing GCSEs and A Levels she had experienced similar relapses, and had resorted to hefty doses of steroids to ease the acute severity of symptoms. On-going treatment with steroids is not feasible as the drugs bring their own complications with long-term use. Orla is slightly built, only 5’4” and even at her ideal weight she is something of a sparrow at around 8 stone. When Crohn’s flares up she is often closer to 7 stone. By July 2004, shortly after her final exams, she was at the point of collapse.

“If I managed to keep my food down, which was not always the case, the stomach cramps were completely incapacitating. Most food irritated my stomach to the point where I was regularly vomiting, losing weight, and not getting the vital nutrients I needed to improve my health. My mother was caring for me and had resorted to what I can only describe as baby food – bland purées. Although this stayed down, it caused terrific problems with peristalsis in my gut, as the colon prefers something more fibrous to grip on, resulting in excruciating cramps. I was also suffering badly from reflux from all the acid produced in an easily-irritated stomach, and this in turn caused chest pain. Cramping pains in my abdomen were undermining my quality of sleep, even waking me up in the night. The result was complete exhaustion.”

Orla is no stranger to complementary medicine. Her own doctor in Northern Ireland practices anthroposophic medicine, and recommended that Orla travel to Park Attwood which shares this same approach. A three week stay was recommended.

Her condition was so fragile that she was unable to fly over from Ireland on her own, so her mother accompanied her. To begin with, she was too weak for rhythmical massage therapy, and so warming hydrotherapy treatment was prescribed, to help her regain her strength. In illness the body often displays uneven warmth, with cold extremities, and is unable to keep an even temperature and effective circulation. With Crohn’s Disease there is often a furnace of warmth in the abdomen, due to the inflammation of the bowel, and poor peripheral circulation, for example cold feet and even chilblains. The massage therapist often opts for a treatment bath in these circumstances. This gently stimulates the circulation, and builds up the patient’s strength. The vast treatment bath at the Clinic is made of aromatic cedar, the lighting is subtle, and often therapeutic oils are added to the water and dispersed as a fine mist using a clever little device called a Jungebad oil dispersion unit. This creates the perfect nurturing environment to relax and soothe the body and the senses.

“Because of pain in my abdomen, I also get quite tense in my upper body, all hunched up, and this is compounded by sitting at a computer or working at my drawing board for hours. Sudden weight loss and weakness also has a hunching effect, and the feeling of vulnerability that illness and pain create can also change my posture - literally a caving in effect and I end up like a little old lady! Massaging my upper body irons this out, like a deep unravelling.”

“During my post-grad exams this February my Crohn’s flared up again, and I made the decision to visit Park Attwood without delay. My last exam was on the Friday, and by Tuesday I was at Park Attwood for a top-up. I went sooner, before the Crohn’s had really got a grip, because I had complete confidence that they would be able to nip it in the bud at Park Attwood. Again, the massage therapist didn’t directly tackle the abdomen, but started on my back where the spine and musculature is protective. The gentle warming process filters through to where it’s needed. There is a fantastic warmth distribution with rhythmical massage, even when the therapist is working on your feet. Towards the end of this last visit, things were so improved that I was able to have my abdomen massaged, over the stomach and left hand side of the colon but not on the right side where the iliac fossa is situated (where the small bowel joins the colon) which is particularly sensitive.”

“Rhythmical massage stimulates the bowel to function healthily: it is so skilful and so light, with no pressure, that it is suitable for Crohn’s where other forms of massage could really aggravate symptoms. The stroking, sweeping motions go with the gut, not just soothing but actively encouraging, accelerating the healing process.”

“There was no aromatherapy benefit with this massage, in fact the Viscum and Hypericum oil my therapist used was pretty much fragrance free. After just one session I slept like a log that night, the effect was instantaneous. My sleep patterns were completely restored and my quality of sleep hugely improved. It’s while we are asleep that our bodies heal, so this made a huge difference for me. It would take me weeks at home to restore the balance that they can achieve at the Clinic in a few days. My symptoms are significantly reduced over the past two months.”

“One of the great advantages at Park Attwood for anyone with Crohn’s is the food, which is all home-baked on the premises using local organic produce. It’s tailored to your particular needs, and they are great at producing something like a little steamed fish. I also enjoy the fact that when I am at Park Attwood it takes the pressure off my parents, in particular my mum who spends so much energy trying to find the right foods for me. It is quite a relief to know that she gets a break too.”

The medical team at Park Attwood is able to offer a complete holistic package, together with natural medicines and other appropriate therapies such as counselling. In Orla’s case, massage therapy was complemented with natural remedies including Cuprum per Chamomilla and Cuprum per Melissa, one morning and one evening, which combine soothing herbal ingredients (natural antispasmodics chamomile and lemon balm) with the warming properties of copper. Mistletoe therapy (injected close to the site of the inflammation) is also prescribed periodically.

Other useful contacts: National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease 0845 1302233