Meditation to Manage Pain

Among chronic pain sufferers, fibromyalgia is one of the most common diagnosis with roughly 10 million people impacted in the United States and estimates of up to 6% of the world population. And most who bear this burden are women. Within families, it is common to see mothers and siblings contending with this syndrome affecting every dimension of life including physical, mental and social well being.

As people move into their senior years, the percent of the population impacted by fibromyalgia grows from an estimated 6% to 8% of the population according to the National Fibromyalgia Association.

Referred to as a syndrome instead of a disease, there are no clear causal factors within the body with consistent signs and symptoms but rather a collection of bodily signs and medical problems that appear together.

Regardless of the definition, the chronic pain is real characterized by numerous tender points in the body, sleep disruption, fatigue and weakness, psychological stresses and abnormal processing of pain within the body. All of these pain experiences add up to real interference with basic daily activities and personal enjoyment of life.

Studies are beginning to show that people with fibromyalgia are experiencing positive benefits from meditation. Engaging in mediation doesn’t eliminate the pain, but by learning to by attentive and present, patients claim to simply feel better. More specifically, meditation appears to help reduce the levels of cortisol in the body which is a hormone associated with stress.

Sandy Sephton, a research psychologist at the University of Louisville and other researchers proclaim the value of “mindfulness meditation” for fibromyalgia sufferers. The intention is to explore a way to be attentive to the thoughts that arise within each of us without invoking some form of personal guilt or judgment. Simply be present and notice or witness the mind’s activities. What begins to unfold is a sense of calm, steadiness and inner peace.

People who set aside time to meditate were found to have smaller measurements of the hormone cortisol, the scientific measure of stress in the body. The meditation appeared to help patients relax their ingrained responses to the world and conduct themselves with less anxiousness. And lower levels of anxiety leads to less fatigue, better rest and greater focus on all activities.

For seniors contending with the daily pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia, recommending meditation is not meant to be a final answer or miracle cure, but only another tool. By taking some time to explore the benefits of meditation, you may discover a greater capacity to cope with daily life and find a little relief from the relentless pain and struggle. Just this much benefit can be a huge victory for many.

There are some seniors that have surrendered and bought the lingering story that there is nothing that can be done. Not true. The most recent drug approved by the FDA is milnacipran marketed under the name Savella. It has shown promise in reducing the pain and physical symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
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Beyond classic drug therapy, lifestyles changes, reducing stress, and natural approaches such as meditation all combine to offer hope of positive results to many people. The bottom line is listening to your body. Find a balanced approach to daily activities so you do what needs to be done along with getting the rest your body needs.
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About the Author

JANET SHAPAN
Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://www.for-seniors.org