Tai Chi Can Help Alleviate Symptoms in Fibromyalgia Patients

Many fibromyalgia patients feel frustrated with the lack of treatments available for their condition. Fibromyalgia is defined as a "chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, tenderness, and stiffness of muscles, and associated connective tissue structures; it is typically accompanied by fatigue, headache, and sleep disturbances". Since this disorder manifests itself differently in each patient, there is no "one size fits all" treatment. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include fatigue, muscle pain, joint stiffness, and sleep disruption, among others. Some hypothesize fibromyalgia patients suffer as a result of increased sensitivity to pain, which has created a debate as to whether the disorder is physiological or psychological.

The Study

A study directed by Dr. Chenchen Wang at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston aimed to determine if Tai Chi would help alleviate some of the symptoms of his fibromyalgia patients. His study involved 66 patients, 33 of them were directed to practice Tai Chi and the other 33 were directed to simply practice stretching exercises over a 12 week period. There was a significant improvement in the Tai Chi group than in that of the control group. The improvements were in the areas of sleep quality, pain, mood, physical exercise abilities, less pain and more energy. The results have been announced in the recent edition of New England Journal of Medicine.

What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi is a form of exercise that incorporates meditation into a slow moving and safe routine. Tai Chi is designed to achieve relaxation and meditation, health benefits, and knowledge of martial arts. It also helps with stamina and longevity, a good thing for suffers of chronic pain to learn.

What does this mean for fibromyalgia patients?

Many of the doctors who treat fibromyalgia sufferers are extremely excited by the results of this study. Doctors have searched for a somewhat universal treatment for their patients that is safe and easy for them to perform on their own. Often times, medication prescribed for patients do not work or are not safe for other health reasons. Sometimes, patients are not able to perform other, more rigorous types of exercise. Tai Chi seems somewhat of a God send for a disease that typically afflicts older patients. It is a safe alternative that patients can practice in their free time to build up their strength and alleviate some of the horrible symptoms of this disorder.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fibromyalgia

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe1006315

http://www.examiner.com/tai-chi-in-national/tai-chi-helps-fibromyalgia-patients