There is a vicious cycle the exists when it comes to chronic low-back pain. The pain cycle may begin with an acute injury from a car accident or with a movement in the wrong direction, but often the cycle continues because of habit. The tension created as a result of the initial injury and pain creates a habit of tensing up muscles and modifying movement because of the fear of the pain. This chronic stress and tension keeps the back pain from truly improving and it can keep you in the pain cycle.
We’ve known for a long time that our patients improve when they combine overall wellness practices, like nutrition and meditation, with their chiropractic adjustments. A recent study from the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, Washington clinically proves the physical benefit of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the level of pain experienced by chronic low-back pain sufferers. In this study, adults with chronic low-back pain showed significant improvement after eight weekly two-hour sessions of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a program that combines meditation with simple yoga poses, a new study found. Participants also practiced MBSR at home.
After six months, 60% of those who did MBSR reported less pain and could more easily perform activities such as walking, climbing stairs and standing for long periods–a better result than those who treated their chronic low-back pain with medication and/or physical therapy.
If you think you might be caught in a stress-pain cycle, reach out to us at (973) 761-0022 to set up an appointment for a complimentary health assessment. Together we can find a path to wellness and pain relief that works for you.
Reference: Daniel Cherkin, PhD, senior investigator, Group Health Research Institute, Seattle.
