THE complementary therapy debate rages on with support for the many different health treatments backed by Prince Charles.

He has said "proven" therapies should be integrated with conventional medicine, although a group of doctors has attacked the view that some complementary therapies should be provided on the NHS.

Professor of surgery at University College London, Michael Baum and a number of his fellow doctors have criticised two initiatives a government-funded guide on homeopathy for patients and the Smallwood Report, commissioned by Prince Charles which suggested greater access to complementary therapies in the NHS might lead to widespread benefits.

Back pain is a major health problem affecting around 17.3 million people in the UK more than one third of the adult population.

Over the course of a year around 3.5 million people experience back pain for the first time and for 3.1 million people their pain lasts throughout the whole year.

It affects men and women equally.

Back Pain Week is aimed at raising the awareness of complementary therapy and people are increasingly turning to it to help ease their painful backs, including acupuncture and the Bowen Technique.

Prince Charles recently told the World Health Assembly in Geneva that he believed complementary therapies could be beneficial.

He said: "The proper mix of proven complementary, traditional and modern remedies, which emphasises the active participation of the patients, can help to create a powerful healing force in the world.

"Many of today's complementary therapies are rooted in ancient traditions that intuitively understand the need to maintain balance and harmony with our minds, bodies and the natural world.

"Much of this knowledge, often based on oral traditions, is sadly being lost, yet orthodox medicine has so much to learn from it."

Acupuncture has long been recognised as a form of treatment in China where it is even used in hospitals to treat certain conditions.

The Bowen technique is a gentle, natural and non-invasive therapy designed to help with many different problems but is particularly recommended for people with back pain.

There is no massage involved and therapists use only their thumbs and fingers, making gentle rolling movements over muscles and tendons at precise points.

The process is designed to release energy, send impulses to the brain to trigger the body's own healing system and appears to have a remarkable record of success in alleviating back pain often when no other treatment has provided significant relief.

Local therapist Marie Hurst's sister travels regularly from Portsmouth, to receive treatment from her, for back pain.

Denise Knocker, aged 51, said although she had been sceptical before starting the treatment it had helped to ease her pain.

Marie, 52, works from her Blackrod home and has helped people get back to work after suffering back pain no other treatment could relieve and finds the technique works for many other conditions too, including migraine, hay fever and chronic asthma.

She also practises aromatherapy, traditional massage, reflexology and reiki. Marie trained in Thai massage in Thailand.

When she discovered the Bowen Technique she was determined to add it to her list of holistic qualifications.

Marie is a great believer in complementary therapies and keen to make more people aware of how well they can work.

Thomas A Bowen developed the technique that would later bear his name. He was born in 1916 in Australia and in the 1960s opened his own clinic.

During the 1970s, when complementary therapies were heard of far less than they are today, he was treating 13,000 people a year. He died in 1982.

People who respond successfully to the Bowen Technique often find they are able to reduce their reliance on drugs and can lead more active lives.

Marie said: "I had a man come to me who had been off work because of his back pain. After treatment he was able to return to work and he was delighted."

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Marie on 01942 833898.

Back pain FactFile

A highly complicated nervous system governs the function of the back. The spine is made up of 33 small bones (vertebrae) with shock-absorbing discs between them.

When the back is damaged it is usually the low back that is more vulnerable to injury. Low back pain is characterised by a number of symptoms which include pain, muscle tension and spasm or stiffness.

Fewer than one in 10 people with back pain have a serious condition and fewer than one in 100 need surgery.

Most cases are uncomplicated and last only a few days but half of all cases last four weeks or more.

Back pain can be acute (lasting six weeks or less), sub-acute (six to 12 weeks) or chronic (more than 12 weeks).

For more information on the Bowen Technique visit www.thebowentechnique.com or www.bter.org