Mindfulness Meditation and Pain Management Recent Findings!

by Ram

Branches by Melina Meza

This is part one of two articles that focus on some of the latest findings on meditation and its an amazing variety of neurological benefits. Dhyana or meditation is a state of being where the mind stops wandering, is calmer, and maintains a period of stillness. In this state of mind, an individual no longer possess bodily awareness, the sense organs are not distracted, and the stillness produces few or no thoughts at all (see Yoga Meditation Techniques). One of the original goals of meditation was to quiet the mind. Because our minds are typically busy with thoughts and emotions—many of which disturb our equanimity—quieting the mind and letting go of these daily dramas of life allows us to experience feelings of peace and contentment. Meditation also fosters feelings of compassion, which improve relationships with others. And you can also use meditation to cultivate feelings of gratitude that in turn fosters contentment (Honesty and Contentment in the Yoga Room). There are many different kinds of meditation. Some are designed to help us relax; others are meant to produce altered states of consciousness. 

Mindfulness meditation is one of the techniques where your mind is not only fully aware of the stillness but also keeps observing when your attention starts to wander from the object of the meditation (in most cases the object of meditation is the repetitious breath, flow of thoughts, emotions or feelings). And as you observe these objects with a sense of detachment, you will notice familiar patterns that may seem irrelevant to harbor and you may want to let go these patterns. Detachment or letting go of these patterns helps in cultivating equanimity in your daily life (Meditation and Equanimity). Thus, mindfulness meditation allows you to observe your habitual thought patterns and emotional responses and provides the opportunity to change them to more positive ones. Mindfulness meditation helps us become aware of what is already true at every moment, providing us with an opportunity to become more present with ourselves just as we are. This, in turn, helps us to overcome the unnecessary suffering that results from trying to escape the discomfort and pain that we experience in our daily lives.

Today’s discussion is about mindfulness meditation and its role in alleviating the acute pain response. Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage and is part of the body’s inherent protective mechanism to motivate the individual to pull out from a damaging situation and prevent further damage to the tissue, allow the damaged tissue to rest and heal, and avoid similar encounters. Thus, the phenomenon of pain is beneficial in a true sense when, for example, your back sustains a blow and the injured tissues need care and protection (Understanding Pain). 

Just like inflammation, the phenomenon of pain is generally transient, and recedes when the stimulus is removed or the damaged tissue has healed (How and Why Yoga Helps with Pain). When your body encounters an acute pain stimulus, your brain releases a large number of pain reducing chemicals called opioids. Opioids act by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs in the body. The binding of the endogenous opioids to their specific receptors results in reduction of the perception of pain. However, there are certain abnormal pathological conditions where pain is a constant feature and persists for a long time (chronic pain). While in some chronic cases the levels of the endogenous opioids are not sufficient to alleviate the pain response, in most cases the body becomes insensitive to the body’s levels of opioids. Chronic pain that lasts beyond the expected period of healing can interfere with a person's quality of life and general functioning. Unfortunately, chronic pain brings with it other health issues including constant fear, worry, anxiety, depression, and memory deficits and turns out to be the most common reason for individuals to visit their physician (Techniques for Managing Pain with Yoga). 

One of the methods of pain management is the external administration of opioids like vicodin, morphine, codeine, or oxycontin. These external opioids not only blunt the pain response, they also produce a euphoric response since they also affect the brain regions involved in reward. Regular or long-term use or abuse of opioids can lead to physical dependence and, in most cases, addiction. Naloxone is a drug that works as an antidote to the opioids and is mainly used to reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by blocking the analgesic (anti-pain) and the euphoric response of the opioids in the system. Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system; the medication doesn't work on other drugs. 

Now what does all this have to do with mindfulness meditation? Well, we know that meditation produces relaxation and the lovely blissful feelings that result from release of tension. The question is: does meditation trigger the release of endogenous opioids which in turn produces the pain relief and the pleasant effects thereafter? This was the premise of a new study Mindfulness-Meditation-Based Pain Relief Is Not Mediated by Endogenous Opioids in which the researchers set out to ask a simple question, “does mindfulness meditation (MM) produce pain relief and if yes, then does it do so through the release of endogenous opioids”? 

The double blind randomized study involved 78 healthy, pain-free people who were randomly assigned to receive different interventions. The first group was trained in mindfulness meditation for 20 minutes a day for four days. And the second group, which served as a control group, spent the same amount of time listening to a book read aloud. The scientists then exposed all the participants to a pain stimulus by placing a hot probe on the back of their legs. The group that practiced mindfulness meditation experienced significantly reduced pain intensity and pain unpleasantness than the control group. 

The next thing to determine was if the pain reduction in the mindfulness meditation group was due to release of endogenous opioids. One way to test this was to block the release of endogenous opioids (if any) by administering the drug Naloxone, which would then reverse the beneficial analgesic effects of mindfulness meditation. (A control group was given simple saline as a placebo.) To the surprise of the researchers, the meditators who received the drug Naloxone before being subjected to the hot probe continued to experience significantly reduced pain intensity and pain unpleasantness than the control group, suggesting that Naloxone administration failed to reverse the meditation-induced pain relief. There were also no significant differences in pain intensity or pain unpleasantness reductions between the meditation + naloxone and the meditation + saline groups.

The findings clearly demonstrate that mindfulness meditation eases pain through some distinct pathways that are independent of the endogenous opioid mechanisms, suggesting that meditation-based pain relief does not require the role of endogenous opioids. The researchers do not have a clear explanation of the effect of mindfulness meditation on the brain that results in the pain relief. But based on their past results, they believe that meditation activates several regions of the brain that are associated with emotion regulation, focus, and cognitive control. At the same time, meditation also down-regulates the thalamic activity that transmits painful information from and to the body. Thus, the global effect of mindfulness meditation helps to prevent pain and painful information from spreading throughout the brain and body. 

It remains to be determined whether mindfulness meditation would be helpful in the treatment of chronic pain and also be effective in overcoming opiate drug abuse. For now though, mindfulness meditation seems to be a very attractive technique for acute pain relief and for those seeking a non-opiate pain therapy. And, if this is the case, getting hooked on meditation would also be a perfect panacea for pain and other pathological systems some of which we described earlier (Meditation: Effects on Gene Expression). 

This reminds me of an anecdotal report of a senior monk who underwent a complicated surgery without the use of any anesthetics. His years of meditation practice helped him to tide over the pain during and after the surgery. But based on the above-mentioned scientific study, it is also clear that you don’t need to be a monk to reap the benefits of mindfulness meditation. 

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Info On Acupuncture For Pain Management Memphis

By Toni Vang

Pain is a problem that many people suffer with. This is a symptom that can arise as a result of a number of medical conditions. It may differ in many respects, including intensity. Still, many people with this symptom want relief solutions. Acupuncture for pain management Memphis may be of interest to people in Memphis, TN.

Acupuncture is recognized as a form of alternative medicine. It is an option preferred by people who want something more natural and less invasive. In western medicine, people who suffer with pain are often prescribed medications that do little in the way of solving the problem and focus on addressing the symptoms. Prescription drugs are not the ideal remedy to this issue because they can come with their own set of side effects and some might become reliant or addicted to them.

Acupuncture involves inserting small needles into the skin. These are placed in strategic areas around the body. This is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that is often employed for managing this condition. Traditional Chinese medicine considers acupuncture a technique that can offer balance to the life force or energy of a person. This energy or life force is recognized as qi or chi. It moves through the pathways, also called meridians, around the human body.

Needles are placed into the meridians, which is what the practitioners think offer balance to energy within an individual. Western practitioners say that acupuncture operates in a different way. Their belief is that the points are areas that stimulate connective tissue, muscles and nerves. It is this stimulation that is said to increase the painkillers naturally present in the body and also increase the flow of blood.

In the modern times, this can be used for numerous purposes. It is most commonly employed in an effort to relieve discomfort and pain that may be caused by various diseases and conditions. Generally, the risk with this process is low. However, people must still find practitioners who are competent and certified to carry out this work. Some complications that could arise: organ injury, soreness and infections. These are not common problems, but should still be understood as potential problems.

Not all people are ideal candidates for this procedure. People who have pacemakers, are pregnant or have been diagnosed with bleeding disorders should avoid acupuncture, as their conditions might increase risk of complications. A trained practitioner will do their best to ensure that patients are good candidates for this process. They will also give them instructions on what to do before or after the procedure to produce the best results. It may take multiple sessions of this for people to notice changes, and the results are expected to differ by person.

In addition to having this procedure done, people are encouraged to seek out the cause for this. When pain is not treated properly, it can decrease quality of life. This is considered a popular natural option for those looking to relieve or better manage their pain.

There are numerous businesses that offer these services. Patients are encouraged to do their research to be well-informed. Costs of these services will vary considerably. Furthermore, not all insurance providers will offer coverage for this type of care.

About the Author:

You can visit www.yansacupuncturememphisclinic.com for more helpful information about Info On Acupuncture For Pain Management Memphis.

Yoga Pain Management and Sound Therapy

by Ram

Ann Dyer, Yoga Teacher and Musician, by Melina Meza

Yoga stress management practices, including meditation, focused relaxation, and relaxing asanas, help manage stress, which can have a feedback effect on improving pain. In my post How and Why Yoga Helps with Pain, I highlighted the benefits of yoga in curbing pain. Yoga (asanas, meditation, and pranayama) helps in the following ways: 

• Triggers increased flow of oxygen to the brain and muscle tissues that improves energy levels and sense of wellbeing.
• Helps to release muscle tension and stretch the muscles thereby reducing the intensity of the pain
• Creates more mental clarity thereby decreasing the level of perceived suffering
• Helps manage stress that can have a feedback effect on improving pain.
• In animal models and in humans, studies show that the practice of yoga reduces pain perception. 

In today’s article, I present yet another evidence-based study that describes the benefit of another Yoga relaxation technique, the effect of sound therapy in reducing the pain response. In several yoga studios, the practice of asans is accompanied by soft sounds of music. The sounds could be from an audio setting or it could be a live music. Several Bay Area yoga studios also feature soft music/kirtans/mantra recordings/or live chanting while the asana class is in progress. In some cases, teachers start and end their practice with the chanting of Aum, an invocation to Patanjali or Ganesh, a Peace (shanti) mantra, etc. For a moment, keep aside your religious affiliation and recall just what those sounds did to your body, mind, and intellect. If you are unable to recall, the next time you are in a class where the asana practice is accompanied by some sound, be more attentive and notice what it does to you before and after the class. 

In my own home practice, I always like to play some soft music as I go through my Yoga routine. When I hear the mantras or sounds of Aum or some musical sounds of nature, a sense of calmness prevails, the chattering in my mind stops, and I feel more attentive and motivated. This state of the body and mind helps as I go through my asana practice. Did you know that since time immemorial, sound was used as a healing tool in almost all of the spiritual traditions? Be it the soft temple bells, chants of Aum, notes from various musical instruments, resonance from the tuning forks, crystal bowls, or Tibetan bowls, among others, sounds have been an integral part of the healing power of not just Hindu or shamanic culture but other traditions as well. My grandfather and his colleagues practiced Sandhya-vandhana (salutations at dawn and dusk that included asanas, mudras, meditation, and pranayama), either at the temple courtyard, in the farm, or by the riverside so they could tune in to the gentle sounds. 

The basic principle of sound/music therapy is that the tune, articulation, pitch, and the arrangement of the musical notes have a major impact on a person’s body, mind, and intellect. Pleasant and relaxing sounds shift the predominant beta brain waves (which keeps us aroused, alert, but also stressed) to alpha waves that puts the individual in the state of “Zone/Flow,” characterized by a state of improved focus, concentration and performance (see Positive Psychology vs. Yoga Philosophy). This is also the state characterized by the release of feel-good brain chemicals, such as endorphins, noradrenaline, and dopamine. Sounds alter the energy patterns in the body and mind, facilitate the connection between mind-body-intellect, and transform the individual into a high state of consciousness. This is why sound therapy is highly recommended for panic attacks and anxiety. Sound therapy serves as a tonic to the brain and is used frequently in the treatment of depression and pain as well.

In a recent study entitled “Complimentary effect of yogic sound resonance relaxation technique in patients with common neck pain," a group of scientists decided to investigate the role of a yogic relaxation technique called mind sound resonance technique (MSRT) as a form of non-surgical management for chronic neck pain. MSRT involves paying attention to the vibrations and resonance from chanting the syllables A, U, M, (Aum/Om) and the Mahamrityunjaya mantra sounds, with the eyes closed. It can be practiced in a supine or sitting posture. The chants are an alternate combination of loud chants and mental sounds repeated three times.

The sample size consisted of 60 literate patients in the age group of 20–70 years with no previous exposure to yoga. All of them suffered from chronic neck pain due to spasm (myalgia), strain of the neck muscles, ligament strain, or cervical spondylosis. Patients were randomized into two groups of 30 each using a computer-generated algorithm. The group included 28 females and 32 males. Both groups received conventional physiotherapy for 10 minutes and ultrasound massage for 10 minutes. Following these procedures, the control group had a non-guided supine rest for 20 minutes. The Yoga group received the mind sound resonance technique (MSRT) through a prerecorded audio tape played with head phones for a period of 20 minutes. The chants alternated from loud notes (Ahata) to unheard sounds (Anahata-mental notes). Instructions were provided to relax, focus, and concentrate on the sounds. The sessions lasted for 10 days. 

Data was collected before the onset of the study and on the final day. Several parameters for pain were measured. Improvements in neck muscle tenderness, neck disability, and movements of the neck were observed in both groups. The MSRT-yoga group showed significant reduction in pain (by 95.5%), tenderness (by 92.82%), and neck disability (91.32%). The cervical spinal flexibility, movements of the neck, (flexion, extension, lateral flexion—to right and left—and lateral rotation—right and left) all improved significantly in the MSRT group compared to the control group. 

This study reminded me of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s impressive articles on mindfulness and pain management all of which point out to the fact that mindfulness strategies including but not limited to relaxing and meditative sounds serve as an appropriate adjunctive treatment for chronic pain by lowering stress, reducing pain response, improving mental emotions, and physical flexibility. So if you wish to see health benefits from your yoga practice, you could complement your practice by  listening to or chanting  soothing/relaxing sounds.

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The Advantages Of Pain Management

By Sherry Gross

People need to follow up the pain they are feeling so they can let everything be done in the way they are expecting. This might have them the idea in making all the expectations be handled well as there can be those to make them think about the details they should be dealing in there. One will have an experience of a therapy as he goes to a pain management winter park fl .

They can have some of the things to be done right as they might seek for the person who might have them the ideas on how they will have handle everything right there. To get all the ideas in mind might have them all those information that they need to work on. There can be everything they should handle well as they get what they needed in the moment.

Agencies that have this service can have their people do their tasks to their patients well. This can have you everything you should handle well when you try to get everything you must have there to get what you deserve. There will just be the enough information that you should be considering in a while so you can just have all the things encountered be given solution accessibly.

One might seek assistance to the internet so it is a much accessible way to find the right specialist that will help you deal with the pain that one is feeling. This will give them immediate information about all the ideas they want to know more about the service. They can have the tasks done in front of the computer.

On the site, there will always be the important details you have to learn as you get to the process that will give you the solutions to all that matters. There can be the right information that you might just be working on as you deal with the right ideas that you can find there. All the info is helpful to give you the ideas on how you will use everything they you can have a home.

The pain personnel are kinds of doctors that can have one all the solutions to the problem about having the aching sensation in their body. They can have their patients get the therapy that they deserve to get so they might handle all the things they have to discover right there. Thinking about everything they can have there will make the people work on the tasks they should be knowledgeable of.

The schedules will be set right as they can have everything they might want to do for themselves. Making the things be in ponder might have one all the information that they need to have as they are looking for the solutions to their query. Right there, they might have everything they should do right there when they deal with everything they should be working on.

The specialists are knowledgeable of everything they are working since they have been studying their profession. This will have the patients the sure things they must know for themselves. Having the ideas pondered well, they might find what they have been looking for as the patients are also trying to get their own remedy.

The remedies that you can have might just be useful enough to be applied in real scenario. Everything learned might be learned well since there can be those to let you find what you should do while waiting for the rescue unit. This is going to have you the right things you can have for yourself when you get to know more about the details in dong the actions.

About the Author:

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Yoga Stress and Weight Management

by Nina

Chocolate-Almond Candy Heart by Brad Gibson

Are you planning to relax over the holidays? Because if you’re not and you are worried about gaining weight, perhaps you should set aside some time for yoga.

You see, I’m helping Baxter with research for his upcoming workshop on Yoga for Healthy Eating at the San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference in January and I’ve learned exactly how stress can induce weight gain. Of course, we all know about so-called “stress eating,” but I wanted to know why that happens (I’m like that, you know, always wanting to the whys and hows as well as the whats). And I found that it’s due to the combination of hormones that are released in our bodies when we’re under stress.

These hormones include  adrenalin, which gives us instant energy, along with corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol. While high levels of adrenalin and CRH decrease your appetite at first—we usually don’t have much of an appetite during a crisis—the effects usually don’t last very long. That’s when the cortisol—whose job is to help you to replenish your body after the stress has passed—kicks in, increasing your appetite and driving you to eat more. And because most of us no longer expend extra calories while in the acute phase of stress (we’re no longer actually fighting or running when our “fight or flight” responses are triggered), we don’t really need to replenish our food stores. So the increased appetite results in, you guessed it, unwanted weight gain.

In addition, while we’re under stress, we typically have an impulse to do something, to move. So unless you respond to your impulse to move with actual physical activity—yoga asana, anyone?—eating often becomes the activity that relieves the stress.

This is why both relaxation and exercise are recommended for reducing your appetite. When you use yoga or meditation to trigger the relaxation response (see Stress, Your Health, and Yoga), your parasympathetic nervous system reduces the levels stress hormones in your body. Exercise is also excellent for stress reduction as it, too, triggers the release of biochemicals that counter the negative effects of stress hormones. In addition, exercising will satisfy your impulse to move and hopefully prevent you from turning to food as a way to relieve your stress.

My prescription for preventing weight gain during the holidays? An active yoga practice followed by conscious relaxation (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga). And if you’re short on time, try even 10 or 15 minutes of conscious relaxation.

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Some Remedies Provided By Pain Management Doctor

By Sarah Wright

Many people do not know that doctors are just instruments to help everyone who are sick. They can offer some help and tell you some advice of what to and medicine you must take remedy the present condition. Before you are allowed to use any medicine, check up is very important. And something you should not forget. You must know the problem and only the doctor can tells you about it.

So the right treatment and procedure will be provided. Pain management doctor Houston in Houston, Texas is here to help everyone who needs them. They will give some medicine that can relieves the pain. But if the situation is worst and it needs some surgery, they can still do it. But only when they do some check up and the results would tell them so.

The role of doctors is to help but will not totally cure. Since there are some medicine needed to take good care of you. Just make sure you follow their advice. If you have some questions, you can always ask. Especially if you have some doubts. And you need clarifications. Take note of the following medications you could take.

Non aspirin relievers. These medication can be bought at any drugstore nationwide. It does not need a prescription from the doctor. But you are required for a higher dosage, you have to consult a physician before you take anything. There are some things you must consider. To achieve what you wanted and have a normal life again and do the things you used to do.

NSAIDS. If you want something that will keep you at ease, this is the ideal one. It will not only lessen the problem but it helps cure them. Though, just temporary but sometimes, the pain would be gone permanently. Especially if they are just mild. They are anti inflammatory and non steroidal. Just be more specific so everything would be okay.

Corticosteroids. This one could be dangerous and should not be sold to any person without the permission from his doctor. Since these are high dosage and will only be take with the instructions. This is necessary so some complications can be prevented. Taking them are to cure you not to worsen the situation.

Antidepressants. You never have to be depressed and be allowed to take them. But if the cause of the stress is due to pain, and you cannot go to sleep especially at night, better use it then. But with a go signal from the physician. You should consult them and listen to their advice always. They know the impact of it.

Injections. Another treatment they offer once you are at the clinic. When you choose to remove the pain through injections, it is possible. But make sure you are not afraid of needles and you can endure it. Though, there is some medicine that would help you to feel better. This is one of most effective method to use.

Surgery. This is applicable when the situation becomes worst. And there is no other choice to remedy the situation. But do the surgery. You do not have to be scared anyway. They will do their best in helping you. Their job is to be there for everyone and save lives. It does not matter if that person has no money, they still have the responsibility to help that particular person.

About the Author:

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