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Healthy Times Newspaper - Your Local Health & Wellness Resource
Healthy Times Newspaper - Your Local Health & Wellness Resource
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Yoga and Stress Management in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia
By Jaime R. Carlo-Casellas, Ph.D.
Fibromyalgia is now recognized as a medical disorder with debilitating symptoms such as chronic muscle and joint pain, fatigue and anxiety. These symptoms often interfere with day- to-day activities. And, because the symptoms frequently over- lap with those of other diseases, people with fibromyalgia may not know what’s causing their pain until properly diagnosed.
Researchers are evaluating various explanations for fibromyal- gia. Most conclude that fibromyalgia results from a combina- tion of physiological dysfunctions and chronic stress. Even so, some physicians still mistakenly consider fibromyalgia to be a psychosomatic problem rather than a real disease. This mis- conception does little to help fibromyalgia sufferers and can leave them feeling demoralized, discouraged and hopeless.
The common treatments for fibromyalgia include medica- tions, physical therapy and nutritional counseling. But because many fibromyalgia sufferers find that these are not enough to ease the chronic pain and discomfort, many seek alternative forms of self-care.
Among the alternative treatments, yoga has been found to be one of the most effective. Yoga provides the patient with excellent symptom relief while helping him or her achieve physical and spiritual balance. Practiced properly under the direction of a trained instructor, yoga is safe, easy to master and rel- atively inexpensive.
Even though some yoga postures might feel slightly
painful, any damage to muscle or connective tissue is gener- ally minimal. It is important, however, to differentiate between the dull discomfort of stretching a muscle, which is safe, and the sharp pain from compressing a joint or spraining a ligament. If the latter type of pain is felt, it is important to come out of the posture immediately.
Stress management is another intervention that has been used successfully to improve the ability to cope with fibromyalgia. Chronic stress, in particular, can affect the per- ception of pain, which may be why fibromyalgia sufferers are more susceptible to the effects of stress than people without this condition. Stress weakens the body and suppresses the immune system. In a weakened state, the patient is more vul- nerable to the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Stress management can help the patient cope with the pain and quiet the mental chatter that can lead to physical and emotional distress.
Often the stressed patient overloads him- or herself with work, caretaking duties and other activities – allowing outside responsibilities to take precedence over their personal health and well-being. Sufferers often do not recognize that manag- ing stress is essential to relieving the discomfort of fibromyal- gia. Yet managing stress is not simple.
Stress management should be learned from a trained stress- management specialist. Strategies that have proven successful include intentional observation of the breath, sitting medita- tions, body-awareness meditation, visualization and progres- sive muscle relaxation. The cultivation of these practices encourages present-moment awareness, which can be prac- ticed during everyday activities such as eating, bathing or walking. Like yoga, stress management is safe, relatively easy to master and reasonably inexpensive.
Patients practicing yoga and stress management report that the benefits of these practices include:
• Decreased number of episodes and intensity of pain • Enhanced ability to cope with pain • Decreased fatigue and anxiety • Reduced reliance on drugs • Improved sleep
• Greater efficiency and output at work • Improved concentration and information processing.
Yoga and stress management are well documented interven- tions in the treatment of fibromyalgia, providing relief from symptoms, increased hope and the ability to cope with pain effectively. Though not a cure, these prac- tices offer a better quality of life for the patient with this debilitating medical condition.
Jaime Carlo-Casellas, Ph.D., is the founding director of the Stress Management & Prevention Clinic and Fountain of Serenity
Yoga in Rancho Mirage. For more on Jaime Carlo-Casellas, visit
www.stresspreven-
tion.org. His book, “Chaos & Bliss – A Journey to Happiness,” is available at
Amazon.com.
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