| I see many chronic pain clients who have a tried a | | | | tissue is not manipulated. Instead, work is performed |
| variety of western medical solutions to manage their | | | | primarily off-the-body using energy emission over |
| pain with varying results. Some of these chronic pain | | | | acupressure points. Thus, this form of healing is least |
| solutions are successful but few address the root | | | | invasive and less likely to aggravate chronic nerve pain. |
| causes of chronic pain or offer a more holistic | | | | Energy work also helps to retrain the neurological |
| approach to healing. | | | | patterns of irritated nerves to facilitate deeper healing. |
| To complement western medical approaches to | | | | Reduce Chronic Pain with Qi Gong and Tai Chi |
| chronic pain management or to use a purely holistic | | | | Both of these forms of gentle movement help to |
| approach try the following: | | | | balance the neurology, increase circulation and release |
| Chronic Pain Relief Diet | | | | endorphins, natural pain relievers. |
| Reducing inflammation is a key to nutritional solutions to | | | | According to the American Journal of Physical |
| chronic pain. | | | | Medicine and Rehabilitation, research of tai chi practice |
| Anti-inflammatory foods include spices such as ginger, | | | | confirmed improvement of "quality of life, physical |
| cinnamon, tumeric, flax seed oils, walnuts, whole brown | | | | function including activity tolerance and cardiovascular |
| rice, berries and other fruits that contain quercetin (also | | | | function, pain management, balance and risk of falls |
| a natural antihistamine that improves allergies). | | | | reduction, enhancing immune response, and improving |
| Anti-inflammatory beverages include decaf green tea, | | | | flexibility, strength, and kinesthetic sense." |
| chamomile tea (helps to soothe the nerves; brew it | | | | Qi gong is the mother art of tai chi, and is easier to |
| very strong at least 10-15 minutes for optimum effect), | | | | learn and highly adaptable to clinical applications. I teach |
| decaf chai tea, ginger tea, chrysanthemum and ginger | | | | both sitting and standing qi gong to my clinic clients with |
| tea combined, carrot with ginger juice. | | | | chronic pain, and have modified movements for people |
| The beverages listed above can also help to detoxify | | | | who are bed-ridden with pain. |
| the body, which is critical if one is taking pain | | | | Meditation Reduces Chronic pain |
| medications. | | | | In a study by the division of general internal medicine at |
| Foods that aggravate inflammation include: high fat | | | | the University of Pittsburgh, researchers found that |
| foods, high amounts of carbohydrates (especially | | | | older adults who engaged in a 8 session program of |
| refined carbohydrates such as white sugar potatoes, | | | | mindfulness meditation showed significant improvement |
| rice or white flour), excessively spicy hot foods, and | | | | in chronic pain compared to a control study group that |
| hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats. | | | | did not participate in meditation. |
| Chronic Pain Responds to Acupressure and Medical | | | | Meditation not only helps the body to relax and soothe |
| Qi Gong (Energy Work) | | | | the neurological system, but also improves serotonin |
| Acupressure is gentle form of Chinese medicine that | | | | levels, which when low, can lead to depression and |
| does not use needles. Acupressure stimulates certain | | | | increased sensations of pain. |
| points on the body to create a release of endorphins, | | | | Chinese Herbs for Chronic Pain Relief |
| natural chemicals within our bodies that help to | | | | In a recently published study in "Chinese Medicine" on |
| decrease chronic pain. | | | | the use of a classical Chinese formula, Duhuo Jisheng |
| Doctors at the National Taiwan University reported in | | | | Tang, researchers found that a 4 week therapy with |
| the British Medical Journal that acupressure was | | | | this formula was effective in reducing pain and |
| effective in reducing low back pain in terms of disability, | | | | improving physical functioning in individuals wit |
| pain scores, and functional status. | | | | degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee. |
| Some acupressurists use techniques more similar to | | | | A trained herbalist can help you to integrate use of |
| western massage such as shiatsu which involves | | | | customized formulas to complement your existing |
| manipulating tissues. | | | | western chronic pain medications with a goal of |
| Other practitioners like myself combine jing point | | | | diminishing the use of pharmaceuticals and also healing |
| acupressure with a vibrational form of Chinese | | | | the root issues that are creating the pain. |
| medicine, medical qi gong, similar to Reiki healing but a | | | | Please note that information in this article is not |
| much older art and part of the Chinese medicine | | | | intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. |
| system. | | | | Please consult with your medical physician regarding |
| With this method of acupressure and medical qi gong, | | | | guidance on implementing holistic methods for healing. |