As I understand it, the Skenar was developed to assist in the Russian space programme. The Soviet Union had the space station – but no shuttle. The Americans had the shuttle – but no space station! So for the Russians this meant that as space and weight considerations ruled out a doctor or hospital on the station, they must take other measures to provide alternative care for accidents and illnesses. Skenar developed out of this search.
It works by focussing the body’s attention on the area to be treated, and stimulating the nervous system to create a therapeutic response. The Russian view is that this is processed through the C fibres of the nerves, but I do not know how they arrive at this conclusion.
The Skenar can be used either moving across the body, to stimulate a wide area; or can be stationary, to treat a specific location, or to identify the most favourable area to treat. It can be applied at the location of a problem – for example a painful bruise – or to an area on the surface of the body above an organ, it is intended to affect, or on various ‘reflex’ zones, or at acupuncture points.
Both are used. The word is supposed to be a acronym for Self Controlling Energetic Nervous Autonomic Regulator! This gives ‘Scenar’. Some people in the UK felt that this would tend to be pronounced with a soft ‘c’ – like ‘SEENAR’ and that this would be confused with ‘Scene’, scenic, etc., and so started to substitute K for C, hence, ‘Skenar’.
Like most complementary therapies, Skenar can be applied to a wide range of physical problems which cause pain, as it was intended to do.
There are a wide range of protocols available to the practitioner, which have been worked out both by the original developers, and many others since, in different parts of the world. These are applicable to many types of complaint – gastric, respiratory, gynaecological, neurological, etc, etc. For the UK most of these are rarely seen by complementary therapists – they are in acute care in hospitals and surgeries. In Bulgaria a few years ago I met a surgeon in charge of a cardiac ward in Russia who was making extensive use of Skenar in his ward. I am told they are carried in some Russian ambulances too, and used in a number of hospitals.
However, U.K. practice is based on pain control, which is what the Skenar is licensed for here. In this respect, it is versatile and can be applied to many complaints and parts of the body.
My suggestion is that if you feel Skenar could be helpful to you, you contact your nearest Skenar practitioner, and discuss your situation with them.
Yes. Depending on the location and the purpose it is being used for, it might be barely noticeable, or it might be strong enough to be slightly uncomfortable. Your practitioner will advise you.
This is hard to say. In some cases, one, in others it could be regularly over a period of very variable length – it depends on the condition. Usually sessions will be close together to begin with, and progressively more spaced-out.
In Russian practice, the Skenar is usually used intensively, once or more a day, over up to about 3 weeks. Then there is a period of rest of several weeks or months, and then the process may be repeated.
This fits well with a system where the patient (often with family support) remains in a hospital for the whole treatment process. But it is hard to replicate in the UK, where clients tend to expect (and can afford) to come at most weekly for a short period. One way round this is to hire a Skenar for home use, to support the session with the practitioner; but even without this, good results can be achieved.
Be aware that for real acute treatment – acute pain, injuries, bruising, etc. one to several treatments per-day for a few days may be needed to maximise the effectiveness of Skenar.
Strictly, in the way I define ‘bioenergetic medicine (see above at the start off FAQ’s), no. Skenar is unique, and stands on its own. But it is, in practice, pretty close, so I stretch the point! (Not an acupoint, of course, you can’t stretch an acupoint)!