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Tai Chi Reduces Tension Headaches
By BTP News | February 17, 2008
Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese low-impact mind-body exercise may provide significant health benefits for adults suffering from tension headaches, a new study has found. A team of researchers at University of California, Los Angeles, conducted the study. According to the National Headache Foundation, more than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches, with losses of $50 billion a year to absenteeism and medical expenses and an excess of $4 billion spent on over-the-counter medications. Tension-type headaches, which represent approximately 78% of all headaches, occur either in single episodes or chronically, and are often the result of stress, anxiety, fatigue or anger.
As part of the study, the researchers conducted a 15-week Tai Chi program and found that participating patients improved on a quality-of-life based measurement called SF-36 and also on a test called HIT-6TM designed to capture the effect of headaches. A 15 week intervention of Tai Chi practice was effective in reducing headaches. The patients also reported improvement in energy levels, emotional well being, social functioning and mental health.
According to researchers, Tai Chi’s emphasis on relaxation, breathing and coordination may address stress, the underlying cause of the pain associated with tension headaches.
Researchers noted that Tai Chi offers important benefits over conventional pharmaceutical-based treatments:
1. Virtually all pain-killer treatment for tension headache includes risk of side effects if used over a long period of time. For instance, the researchers say:
* Acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol and other pain medications) can cause liver toxicity
* NSAIDS (such as ibuprofen and aspirin) can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and bleeding
As a result, exercise-based therapies such as Tai Chi offer significant benefit to patients.
2. Not all patients respond favorably to pain medications. Patients may find only partial relief for their symptoms, or may be completely unable to tolerate pharmaceutical intervention. To the extent that Tai Chi represents a viable alternative to medication, it provides a major addition to the arsenal of potential treatments.
3. Tai Chi may also help to control the cost of treatment because it requires only an initial period during which the patient receives training.
4. Tai Chi does more than alleviate pain or provide symptomatic relief. It benefits the quality of life scores. This may be because Tai Chi addresses an underlying cause of the pain associated with tension headaches, namely stress.
The pain associated with tension headaches may be caused by, or exacerbated by, muscle contractions caused by stress. Analgesics will only target the symptoms of stress. When medication stops, the pain may return because the underlying problem has not been adequately managed.
However, with its emphasis on relaxation, breathing, focus and coordination, Tai Chi seems to directly affect stress and tension that contribute to the pain associated with tension headaches. In addition to affecting this pain, Tai Chi may affect other symptoms that arise from stress such as tachycardia, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, etc., thus affecting the overall quality of life scores.
Tai Chi is a form of traditional Chinese exercise that purports to improve health by changes in mental focus, breathing, coordination and relaxation. The goal of Tai Chi is to ‘rebalance’ the body’s own healing capacity. Tai Chi has been practiced in China for hundreds of years and is now widely practiced throughout the world. It has been estimated that over 100 million people regularly practice Tai Chi in China alone.
The findings of the research were published in March issue of the journal, Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM). (ANI)
P.S. If you want to rejuvenate and recharge after the long winter of hibernation, join us for the Spring Qi Gong & Tai Chi Workshop at the Days Inn in Minneapolis, MN on March 15-16, 2008. Receive a free lunch both days PLUS a free T-Shirt with beautiful Chinese calligraphy.
We will use Qi Gong and Tai Chi exercises and breathing movements to help relieve stress and strengthen your immune system. No experience is necessary because each form will be divided into separate exercises that are easy to learn. Using smooth flowing postures and deep breathing, Qi Gong and Tai Chi improves flexibility and strengthens joints to alleviate pain, improve posture, balance, and coordination. Presented by the Health Preservation Association.
Register on line now at http://www.orientalmedcare.com/classes.html .
Topics: Qigong |
February 17th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
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