Welcome to our first news bulletin for 2010. It seems everybody is talking up the positives for 2010 and why not? Even though we are just into the first few months of the New Year is seems, ‘the force is with us’! Workshops are filling at a positive pace, new countries are opening in the eastern block in particular (Poland and Russia) and things generally are running very smoothly.

NST Clinic Kirchzarten
The NST Praxis in Kirchzarten under the guidance of Beate Siegert has started to ‘hit it’s straps’ with the books looking fuller and fuller with every passing week.

The ‘Open Day’ jointly organized by Michael and Beate that was held on the 13th February was a huge success and really helped to propel the Kirchzarten NST Clinic ever further forward.
Overall there is a distinct differential in the ‘feel’ between 2009 and 2010.

NST Case of the Month
The following 2010 story, one of many, from a Scoliosis sufferer is worth reading.

Report on NST treatment for scoliosis:
NST Practitioner Erica Moss

I was casually told I had scoliosis after many visits to a physiotherapist about 8 years ago. Initially I went for treatment as a result of ‘pulling a muscle’ in the scapular region.
It happened suddenly, a sharp, severe spasmodic pain. The treatment consisted of heat pads, some massage and electrical stimuli.
It was a complete success and I was pain free for 2 years. The next episode happened again suddenly but after further treatment I had relief for another 18months. However, eventually I had to seek treatment more often.

In 2004 I fell and needed titanium ball replacement for the top of my femur and was advised to have an osteoporosis test, which was negative. In 2007 I had a family crisis resulting in great stress and the condition took a turn for the worse. The physio treatment and painkillers co-codomol 500mg/30mg were ineffective.

In desperation I went to my GP for stronger pain relief. She referred me to a specialist scapular physio who confirmed the scoliosis diagnosis. I was given a set of exercises, told to seek stronger pain relief, I was incurable and had to live with it.
At this time I had more moderate pain – half an hour to an hour after rising. This persisted all day until it reached a crescendo in the afternoon hours. I had to retire to bed, where, despite tablets (and alcohol to activate them) I suffered 4-5 hours of sheer agony, until, exhausted, I fell asleep.

I felt desperate, the intensity of the pain made me ‘panicky’ which made it worse (short stabbing pains that could be timed).
I am no stranger to intense pain and have bee told I have a high pain threshold. Over 30 years ago, I had acute pain (cerebral and trigeminal) treated with dihydrocodeine maximum dose. That has been dormant for over 25 years.
In desperation I consulted Erica who explained NST, emphasised that it might not be a complete cure but gave me a glimmer of hope after the first 2 or 3 sessions.

Now I have less than moderate pain. The spasms are much less in strength and frequency. I have periods of no pain and the 4 – 5 hours nightmare at night have gone. The pain is more now in the thoracic region or sometimes a dull ache in the spine.

I feel the relief is due to:
* NST 75-80%
*Rest (lying down or sitting brings immediate relief)
*Hot water bottle (heat pads negligible, hot bath temporary)
*Belladonna plaster promising but not suitable as I have glaucoma.
*Ibuprofen gel prescribed by my GP – completely ineffective.
Exercise has a very negative effect.

Factors
Factors that I have found ‘trigger’ onset of pain which starts as a weakness on the right side of the thoracic region extending below my waist, the pain then develops into a more prolonged spasm in the intercostal area than what I experienced before NST.
Stress – high percentage
Standing for long periods (queues)
Extreme tiredness
Too long a walk (more than a mile)
Exercises
Over-reaching (ironing for long periods)
Cold weather.

Since NST, I have been able to cut down on the medication and alcohol. Some days I can manage without or just 25% of original dose. I still get days when I am suffering pain mostly in the ribs, the cause I cannot account for, but nothing like the extent I was undergoing before NST. I can stand for longer periods and have a longer ironing session.

Thanks to NST, I can live with it.
Mrs. W. England UK

NST News
In other news all NST teachers have been back on the track and 2010 has started busily with workshops being conducted from Australia to USA and several countries in between.

Michael visited Portugal in early February for a Basic workshop at the wonderfully cosy and homely training complex of Luis Miguel and Laura Dos Santos in country Portugal, Espite which is near Fatima. NST has now had a presence in Portugal for some seven years and is becoming more and more well known and respected as a main stream therapeutic technique.

Michael will travel to Israel in March for another Basic workshop before traveling to Italy for an Able and Active in April all of which precede a very busy year from June onwards. May will likely see Michael returning to Australia for business.

Other worthwhile news includes Michael teaming up with the Mercola organization in 2010 for further distribution of the already extremely popular NST DVD of the NST Basic workshop.