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Yoga can beat fibromyalgia
Yoga can beat fibromyalgia
A little stretching can go a long way.
While Big Pharma offers powerful, dangerous and largely ineffective drugs for the pain condition fibromyalgia, a new study finds the only prescription you might really need is a little yoga.
researchers have found that yoga can offer a 30 percent reduction in fibromyalgia pain. That’s roughly in line with the “relief” offered by many drugs, and even better than some of them–with none of the risk.
In the new study, 53 women with an average age of 54 who had been battling the condition for at least a decade were assigned to either a yoga program, or put on a waiting list for a yoga program.
The course consisted of a weekly two-hour lesson, with participants given DVDs so they could practice at home. They were asked to do at least 20 minutes of yoga a day, five days a week, on their own.
And it really helped.
The researchers say 77.3 percent of the women were “at least a little better,” versus 19.2 percent of the patients on the waiting list.
Even more significant, however, is that half the yoga students reported a 30 percent reduction in pain, and none of them worsened.
The only potential pitfall here is that some fibromyalgia sufferers experience so much pain they can barely move, much less perform pretzel-like yoga positions.
But if you want to give this a shot, don’t get frustrated and don’t give up–start with the simplest positions and stick to the ones you can handle. You may find that over time, as your pain improves, your body will be able to do more.
And if you can’t afford yoga lessons in a studio, try your local senior center–many offer free or heavily discounted classes. You could even buy or rent a yoga DVD, or borrow one from the local library.
While there’s no single answer to fibromyalgia yet, it’s becoming clear that steady movement such as yoga can play a huge role in improving the condition.
Other studies have found that everything from the gentle stretching exercises of tai chi to common activities like gardening can offer real and significant relief from the pain and improve mobility.
But some people need more than light exercise.
Many fibromyalgia patients have found relief with the hormone relaxin… while others have been successfully treated with the famous Myers Cocktail, a potent nutritional blend delivered intravenously.
The mainstream hasn’t recognized it yet, but nutritional and hormonal deficiencies often play a major role in fibromyalgia, and a good naturopathic physician can find them–and fix them for good.
P.S. this is old for my wife! I had her doing Yoga and stretching with bands for a few years and it's helped a great deal
plus my wife has costochondritis
A little stretching can go a long way.
While Big Pharma offers powerful, dangerous and largely ineffective drugs for the pain condition fibromyalgia, a new study finds the only prescription you might really need is a little yoga.
researchers have found that yoga can offer a 30 percent reduction in fibromyalgia pain. That’s roughly in line with the “relief” offered by many drugs, and even better than some of them–with none of the risk.
In the new study, 53 women with an average age of 54 who had been battling the condition for at least a decade were assigned to either a yoga program, or put on a waiting list for a yoga program.
The course consisted of a weekly two-hour lesson, with participants given DVDs so they could practice at home. They were asked to do at least 20 minutes of yoga a day, five days a week, on their own.
And it really helped.
The researchers say 77.3 percent of the women were “at least a little better,” versus 19.2 percent of the patients on the waiting list.
Even more significant, however, is that half the yoga students reported a 30 percent reduction in pain, and none of them worsened.
The only potential pitfall here is that some fibromyalgia sufferers experience so much pain they can barely move, much less perform pretzel-like yoga positions.
But if you want to give this a shot, don’t get frustrated and don’t give up–start with the simplest positions and stick to the ones you can handle. You may find that over time, as your pain improves, your body will be able to do more.
And if you can’t afford yoga lessons in a studio, try your local senior center–many offer free or heavily discounted classes. You could even buy or rent a yoga DVD, or borrow one from the local library.
While there’s no single answer to fibromyalgia yet, it’s becoming clear that steady movement such as yoga can play a huge role in improving the condition.
Other studies have found that everything from the gentle stretching exercises of tai chi to common activities like gardening can offer real and significant relief from the pain and improve mobility.
But some people need more than light exercise.
Many fibromyalgia patients have found relief with the hormone relaxin… while others have been successfully treated with the famous Myers Cocktail, a potent nutritional blend delivered intravenously.
The mainstream hasn’t recognized it yet, but nutritional and hormonal deficiencies often play a major role in fibromyalgia, and a good naturopathic physician can find them–and fix them for good.
P.S. this is old for my wife! I had her doing Yoga and stretching with bands for a few years and it's helped a great deal
plus my wife has costochondritis
I agree completely! And a large part of the meditation is accepting and even embracing how you feel 'in the moment'. Even if its dog-awful!
They actually have done research on cancer patients that were terminal and hanging on against horrific pain, and a lot of it was due to a feeling of 'I can't lose this 'battle' because then I am a loser'. Not a peaceful end for sure. And the whole 'battle' thing can cause some major depression issues with people who then blame themselves for either getting sick or not recovering.
I try to give every day my all, but somedays my ALL is a whole lot less than other days. And that's OK!
You said it beautifully!
They actually have done research on cancer patients that were terminal and hanging on against horrific pain, and a lot of it was due to a feeling of 'I can't lose this 'battle' because then I am a loser'. Not a peaceful end for sure. And the whole 'battle' thing can cause some major depression issues with people who then blame themselves for either getting sick or not recovering.
I try to give every day my all, but somedays my ALL is a whole lot less than other days. And that's OK!
You said it beautifully!
yes! i have found breathing and limbering up has helped me with moving towards something that feels like general well-being and relaxation and less anxiety. it has helped a bit with the al-over muscular inflammation (which in my case is mild), and because i have cfs, it has been a substitute for fitness regimes that are impossible not to mention counterproductive (even harmful).
i need to comment on the title which is telling of our general attitude towards illness, pain, and disease.
we need to see illness as a messenger or a message. it's like a feedback system like touching a hot stove. we don't call that pain an emeny that we have to battle or fight. when we 'fight' our condition, we're fighting ourselves = pointless.
i know - it sounds trite - but we need to HEAL our illnesses not fight them. they are not our friend either, but a message if anything. A PART OF OUR HELING SYSTEM. it's like burning a bill we don't want, or punching the postal worker. doesn't really address the issue.
cfs and fibro are invisible, so with cancer as an example (which people attribute death to, and are visually severe (chemo, measuring blood and heart tests)):
cancer is not a thing to be battles - it's our own cells gone awry.
when cancer is terminal, and a patient dies, i feel they died of, say, asbestos poisoning - not the cancer! and how can we lose a battle with cancer, when the cancer itself will be no more either?? >>with this logic, the it could be reported that the cancer lost the battle too, because it's perished as well.<<
fibro is hell, cfs is hell; i've gotten more peace in living with it than fighting it. for the first few weeks - when it was so severe i couldn't scratch my nose! - i resisted and didn't accept and that in itself was draining mentally and physiologically, because it was a "fight"! then i realised i would just lie there and rest and hope and pray. it's been a gradual process of accepting and living WITH the condition(s), but i've found this HELPFUL with mental OUTLOOK. there is a social stigma with 'accepting'. we're trained and encouraged to fight, beat it, don't give up, stay strong (huh? i was flat out wiping my *** - why pretend i'm strong?), be brave, don't let it get you down.
acceptance is seen as giving up, but it's more like bamboo bending with the wind - and a rigid branch snaps and breaks off.
*vehicle trigger*
a large truck in a tunnel is coming straight for you - you can either make a supreme effort and jump UP the hell out of the way - or you can just take to the ground and go UNDER it till it passes.
so, 2cents later, just something to consider. don't want to offend anyone. i just think we are so tired and beat, we can reduce the amount of fighting in this regard...
i need to comment on the title which is telling of our general attitude towards illness, pain, and disease.
we need to see illness as a messenger or a message. it's like a feedback system like touching a hot stove. we don't call that pain an emeny that we have to battle or fight. when we 'fight' our condition, we're fighting ourselves = pointless.
i know - it sounds trite - but we need to HEAL our illnesses not fight them. they are not our friend either, but a message if anything. A PART OF OUR HELING SYSTEM. it's like burning a bill we don't want, or punching the postal worker. doesn't really address the issue.
cfs and fibro are invisible, so with cancer as an example (which people attribute death to, and are visually severe (chemo, measuring blood and heart tests)):
cancer is not a thing to be battles - it's our own cells gone awry.
when cancer is terminal, and a patient dies, i feel they died of, say, asbestos poisoning - not the cancer! and how can we lose a battle with cancer, when the cancer itself will be no more either?? >>with this logic, the it could be reported that the cancer lost the battle too, because it's perished as well.<<
fibro is hell, cfs is hell; i've gotten more peace in living with it than fighting it. for the first few weeks - when it was so severe i couldn't scratch my nose! - i resisted and didn't accept and that in itself was draining mentally and physiologically, because it was a "fight"! then i realised i would just lie there and rest and hope and pray. it's been a gradual process of accepting and living WITH the condition(s), but i've found this HELPFUL with mental OUTLOOK. there is a social stigma with 'accepting'. we're trained and encouraged to fight, beat it, don't give up, stay strong (huh? i was flat out wiping my *** - why pretend i'm strong?), be brave, don't let it get you down.
acceptance is seen as giving up, but it's more like bamboo bending with the wind - and a rigid branch snaps and breaks off.
*vehicle trigger*
a large truck in a tunnel is coming straight for you - you can either make a supreme effort and jump UP the hell out of the way - or you can just take to the ground and go UNDER it till it passes.
so, 2cents later, just something to consider. don't want to offend anyone. i just think we are so tired and beat, we can reduce the amount of fighting in this regard...
One thing to realize is that during this program, people were also taught, along with the yoga, methods of breathing and mindfulness meditation, which is also of use with pain control. So, while yoga and stretching are beneficial, even people that can't manuver well can benefit from the meditation aspects, and then hopefully progress to the yoga.
Also, there are many types of yoga, a slow moving viniyoga routine with lots of breathing can be done by most people, you don't have to become a pretzel or perform power yoga moves. If you have specific injuries, see a qualified yoga instructor for appropriate modifications.
Also, there are many types of yoga, a slow moving viniyoga routine with lots of breathing can be done by most people, you don't have to become a pretzel or perform power yoga moves. If you have specific injuries, see a qualified yoga instructor for appropriate modifications.
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