What is Mizan Therapy?
Mizan Therapy is a fusion of traditional healing techniques from around the world. Most traditional healing systems use abdominal massage, for both men and women. Bushra is the founder of Mizan and she trained originally with Rosita Arvigo to learn the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy™. When she found other parts of the world used a similar massage she incorporated them, forming a blend of techniques. And so Mizan Therapy was born.
Bushra also trained with Hakim Salim Khan in TIBB herbal medicine, which gave her the knowledge and confidence to develop Mizan Botanicals, a range of herbal remedies as stand-alone healing or to support Mizan practitioners.
Mizan is a gentle but effective way of massaging the abdomen that improves the flow of circulatory fluids of the blood, lymph and nervous systems to strengthen the muscles and ligaments that hold the internal organs in their optimum positions. Mizan relieves congestion and helps to remove blockages to stimulate physical and emotional health and well-being.
It improves the health of the reproductive systems for both men and women, as well as benefitting the digestive system.
How does Mizan Therapy help women?
The womb is held in place by muscles and ligaments that can become contracted or over-stretched, allowing the move away from balance, leading to great variety symptoms that affect reproductive, digestive and emotional health.
Mizan strengthens the ligaments, allowing them to heal and as they do so, guiding the womb back into her centre.
What causes the womb to move out of position?
There are many causes, sometimes we know the reasons, sometimes not, but Mizan can be effective even if we don’t know the answer to that question.
Here are some of the main causes:
- High impact exercise, particularly running on cement surfaces, gymnastics, trampolining…
- A modern lack of understanding of the needs of women, particularly during menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and during the post natal time. This can lead to weakening of the pelvic ligaments and muscles, weak pelvic floor muscles, over-stretched or over-contracted ligaments in the pelvis
- Falls to the sacrum and lower back, car accidents, blows to the head
- Previous abdominal surgery
- Chronic muscle spasm on the lower back and sacrum
- Time, age, gravity
- Emotional trauma
How do I know if my uterus is tilted?
Symptoms can be a good indicator. Here are some of the main ones:
- Painful menstruation
- Irregular menstruation
- Painful ovulation
- Dark blood at the beginning or end of menstruation
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Polyps
- Fertility problems
- Chronic miscarriages
- Difficult pregnancy and birth
- Headaches/migraines with menstruation
- Low back ache with menstruation
- Pre-menstrual tension and depression
- Frequent urination, bladder infections, urge incontinence
- Chronic constipation
- Frequent vaginal infections
- Menopausal symptoms
How many sessions will I need?
Expect a minimum of three sessions. Many simple problems will be fixed after this, particularly if you do the self care activities at home regularly. More complex cases may need many months. We need to work together to restore balance to the system.
Regular attention to self care speeds the healing process, and nearly every client reports a rapid improvement in health and well-being.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t have Mizan Therapy?
Nearly everyone feels the benefits from Mizan Therapy. The improved circulation, lymphatic drainage and renewed movement of energy brings relaxation, healing and a renewed sense of well-being.
Contra-indications to Mizan over the lower abdomen:
- During menstruation
- During the first trimester of pregnancy
- Within the first six weeks of birth following a caesarean section (however, there is still some good work to be done for healing and recovery during this time)
- If you have an IUD fitted
- If cancer is present anywhere in the pelvis
How does Mizan Therapy benefit men?
Mizan Therapy is as beneficial for men as for women.
- It helps with the prostate, for instance congestion can result in benign prostatic hypertrophy
- It can help with erectile dysfunction
- Improves sperm health, mobility, quality and quality
- Helps with digestive problems (see the question about how Mizan helps with digestion)
- Helps with muscles tightened by tension and suppressed emotion
Will Mizan Therapy improve fertility?
The fertility of both men and women can be enhanced and improved with Mizan.
Women regularly conceive following a course of treatment. Others become pregnant following IVF where they hadn’t before. Obviously there is no guarantee that you will become pregnant following Mizan, but the medical professionals are also unable to offer guarantees of a successful pregnancy.
During sessions you will receive massage, diet and lifestyle recommendations and often herbal remedies, all of which together help to enhance fertility.
Mizan has been found to increase the quantity and quality of sperm.
What if I no longer have a womb?
All surgery leaves scars: physical, emotional or both.
By improving the circulation around the pelvis and lower abdomen, scar tissue can be prevented from forming, or broken down once present.
Your womb may no longer be physically with you, but her spirit and energy live on, and Mizan can help you to rebuild your connection with your wombspace and increase your sense of health and well-being.
Many women experience bladder or bowel prolapse in the years following hysterectomy. Mizan can strengthen the remaining organs and reduce the likelihood of these problems.
What are the benefits of Mizan Therapy during pregnancy?
If your womb is not in her optimum position, it is harder for the baby to line up in the best position for birth. A well-aligned baby will mean a faster, easier birth – with all of the labour focused on birthing the baby, rather than a long pre-labour where your body is trying to re-position the baby.
Mizan during pregnancy tones and strengthens the uterus and helps the ligaments to support her and the growing baby. Pregnancy massage ensures a good blood circulation to both the womb and the baby and, along with the pregnancy self massage, helps mama and baby to connect in the months before birth.
Will Mizan Therapy help after the birth?
Yes! During pregnancy, the ligaments that support your womb are under stress and are stretched to their extreme. Post birth you want to ensure that your womb contracts and realigns well and that the supporting ligaments relax equally.
Post birth your Mizan Therapist may have other resources for supporting your recovery with healing and warming oils, pelvic steams and abdominal binding. This is also the time to experience the benefits of sacred wrapping.
What if I had a caesarean section?
If you had a caesarean section there will be scar tissue. Mizan will help to prevent the formation and even break down old scar tissue. Scar tissue can cause the pelvic organs to stick together, so preventing this will be more comfortable as well as make future pregnancies easier.
How does Mizan Therapy help with digestive problems?
Our language is full of expressions that connect our emotions and our digestion. Have you ever had “butterflies” in your stomach? A “lump” in your throat? Have you ever been moved by a strong and undeniable “gut feeling” about something or someone?
We store our anxieties and emotions in our bodies and a holding area is the abdomen and the digestive system. This can lead to constipation, indigestion, heartburn and even to IBS.
Mizan, combined with self-care and dietary and lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to digestive upsets. And when our digestive system is working properly, we feel so much better.
What is involved with self-care massage? How long will it take?
You will be guided through a simple self-massage routine to perform between appointments. It takes about five minutes a day and can be done once you’ve settled down in bed and ready for sleep – a lovely way to end the day, check in and do a bit of self-nurturing.
Clients who perform self-massage obtain faster relief from symptoms.
Where can I find a Mizan Therapist?
Mizan Clinic is based in Shipley. If that’s nowhere near you, there is a list of other practitioners trained by Bushra on the Mizan Therapy website