Relaxation Therapy For Chronic Pain
Since the 1960's, research has indicated strong correlations between stress levels and physical and emotional health. Meditation was among the first relaxation therapies shown to have a measurable effect on stress reduction. In the 1970's, self-help books teaching relaxation therapy techniques began to appear. In 1975, The Relaxation Response by Harvard Medical School professor Herbert Benson, MD and Miriam Z. Klipper was published. Their book has been credited with popularizing meditation in the United States. Research released in the 1980's indicated stronger ties between stress and health and showed benefits from a wider range of relaxation therapy techniques than had been previously known. This research received national media attention. Public awareness about the health benefits of relaxation techniques grew, and so did the numbers of people who practiced them. The medical profession have adopted the concept and recommend using relaxation therapy to improve patient outcomes in many situations. Relaxation therapies are also a mainstay of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Six out of ten of the most commonly used CAM therapies are relaxation techniques. The medical advantages are not from ordinary relaxing activities, such as catnaps or gardening, but from intensive techniques that allow people to evoke a specific physiological state. ''Just sitting quietly or, say, watching television, is not enough to produce the physiological changes,'' said Herbert Benson MD, director of the Division of Behavioral Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital, a part of Harvard Medical School in Boston. ''You need to use a relaxation technique that will break the train of everyday thought, and decrease the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.'' Ancient and Modern Methods" (New York Times 1986) Relaxation Therapy In Practice
Real relaxation is something most of us haven't done since we were in our cradles. With chronic pain we tend to tense up and relaxing becomes all but impossible. Muscle tension is so habitual that we hardly even notice it. The tension increases the pain which then further increases stress and tension. But what is the best way to relax? What are those" intensive techniques that allow people to evoke a specific physiological state." quoted above? If you can take it seriousley and practice until it becomes second nature to you relaxation therapy is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Here are some that are recommended and they are popular because they really do make a difference to the chronic pain.You can do these on your own without needing to seek out a therapist. That's always an advantage isn't it? There is also biofeedback but this is not always so easy because you need help with this.
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