Statistics show that at least 4 percent of the total population in the United States, and 1 percent in Britain and Sweden, are affected with fibromyalgia. It is one of the most common neurological chronic conditions associated with fatigue and body pains, and affects around 11 million people worldwide. In the United States alone, fibromyalgia causes a total of around $20 billion annually in indirect and direct expenditures.

Fibromyalgia is a persist condition which results to tender, stiff and painful muscles, joints and tendons. The patient experiences restless sleep, depression, anxiety and intestinal disturbances. And this condition can be quite disturbing – the person is experiencing pain in reaction to a stimulus which is normally not considered to be painful. The cause, however, is yet unknown. So the treatment is mainly directed towards easing the symptoms felt by the patient, but traditional therapeutic medications are only 30 percent effective in relieving the pain caused by fibromyalgia.

Yoga Against Fibromyalgia Pain

A recent study conducted by a group of researchers from Oregon has revealed that gentle stretching, meditation and breathing exercises may lessen the pain caused by fibromyalgia and improve overall body function. The study suggested for women with fibromyalgia to practice the mind and body techniques of yoga to alleviate the pain caused by the disorder. The researchers enrolled a group of 53 women in the ages of 21 and older. It was observed at the end of the study that the participants who underwent a yoga awareness program experienced greater improvement in the symptoms of fibromyalgia compared to the control group. The results of the study were published in Pain, the official journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain.

The researchers chose women who satisfied three important criteria.  The women should:

• have been diagnosed of having fibromyalgia according to the diagnostic standards of the American College of Rheumatology
• have suffered from the symptoms of the disease for at least a year
• have been taking prescribed and over-the-counter drugs and pain medications for a minimum of three months.

Only female subjects were used since women are far more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men. The group was divided into two smaller groups; 25 of the women were subjected to a yoga awareness program while the remaining 28 were given only standard medical care for the condition.

The group in yoga awareness participated in instructional and exercise yoga programs for eight weeks. The classes included 25 minutes of mindfulness  meditation, 40 minutes of gentle stretching poses, 20 minutes of teaching presentations on yoga principles on overcoming pain, 10 minutes of breathing exercises and techniques, and 25 minutes of group sharing and discussion. The participants were also asked to share their experiences while doing yoga at home. After the study period, the two groups were assessed for any symptoms of fibromyalgia, functional deficits, and their overall resistance and levels of experienced pain. They were also subjected to a series of physical tests to identify their tender points and to analyze their individual methods of coping with pain.

Results of the Study

The study concluded after eight weeks that the women who were given the yoga program showed lesser symptoms of fibromyalgia and showcased more resistance to pain. Each of the participant's levels of fatigue, pain, and mood were measured. James W Carson PhD, a researcher from the Oregon Health and Science University said that the results of their study strongly suggested the use of yoga intervention in improving the resistance, and the coping and adaptive methods of patients suffering from fibromyalgia symptoms. The strategies the study suggested include the practice of physical activities despite the occurring pain, use of religion as a coping method, acceptance of the person's health condition, and the use of improved relaxation to allow recovery. The participants of the first group also reported feeling more connected to the people around them and less isolated. They said that they are becoming more open in talking about their condition, making them less confrontational. A majority of the group added that they are now less likely to look at the worst side of things and have a more positive approach.

The standard treatment for the symptoms of fibromyalgia includes exercise and medication. This also includes instructions on how to overcome the pain. Carson said that, although yoga has been practiced for more than a thousand years, it has only been recently that the practice was subjected to evaluations on its benefits in alleviating the pain caused by a specific physical condition. He added that their study gives preliminary support for future studies in the benefits of yoga in overcoming the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Carson is planning to establish a training course especially for yoga teachers who are interested in working with people suffering from chronic pain.

The Many Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is a widely practiced set of mental and physical techniques originally aimed at separating the man's pure consciousness from the body. The profound and highly religious context of yoga has evolved through the years and has gained a more practical and less spiritually explicit meaning. People practice yoga basically to become physically fit and also promote a healthy mind. Different publications dedicated to making yoga a self-taught practice are widely available and is a common offering in bookstores. Though some yoga postures and techniques require the assistance of a pro on first practice to avoid injury, some yoga postures and routines can easily be executed with the help of well-illustrated manuals.

A reason why yoga has become one of the most popular methods of exercise is because it only needs a very simple, and not to mention lightweight, tool which is a thin but movement-resistant mat. And any quiet, well-lighted and well-ventilated environment can be the perfect setting to start doing your postures.

There are a myriad of health benefits that one can derive from doing yoga.  Here are a list of some of its benefits:

• Improves balance
• Decreases breathing and pulse rate
• Promotes body steadiness
• Normalizes weight
• Increases energy levels
• Increases endurance
• Improves reaction time
• Improves hand and eye coordination
• Normalizes gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and respiratory functions
• Reduces blood pressure
• Improves digestive functions
• Increases joint range resulting to improved flexibility.

Yoga also has psychological benefits. This includes improvement on flicker fusion frequency, depth perception, symbol coding, learning efficiency, concentration, attention, social skills, mood, memory, concentration, social adjustment, and somatic and kinesthetic awareness. Note that inefficiency with the mentioned skills results to physiological and psychological impairments. The practice of yoga in order to improve these skills can help to overcome the condition. The study on yoga and fibromyalgia is one great example.

Sources
webmd.com
webmd.com
abc-of-yoga.com
medicinenet.com