Low Back Pain and Meditation

Meditation can significantly reduce pain and accelerate the healing process, in patients suffering with chronic back pain. What exactly is meditation and how does it affect such positive change in the body?

Meditation has been practiced for centuries. People meditate for different reasons – to reduce stress, improve mood, lower blood pressure. But meditation has shown to have direct physiological benefits as well, such as pain relief. Research proves that people who regularly practice meditation successfully accelerate pain relief and are able to maintain their good health. Through meditation the body’s physiology can actually be altered for the good.

We can actually affect our health by controlling our mind. World renowned lecturer Deepak Chopra, in Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, puts it thusly:

“Not only is the human nervous system capable of becoming aware of the information and energy of its own quantum field, but … you are able to consciously change the informational content that gives rise to your physical body. You can consciously change the energy and informational content of your own quantum mechanical body, and therefore influence the energy and informational content of your extended body – your environment, your world – and cause things to manifest in it.
This conscious change is brought about by the two qualities inherent in consciousness: attention and intention. Attention energizes, and intention transforms. Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger in your life. Whatever you take your attention away from will wither, disintegrate, and disappear. Intention, on the other hand, triggers transformation of energy and information. Intention organizes its own fulfillment.”

If you focus on your pain you are giving it the potential to increase and become a controlling factor in your life. Your thoughts and action become centred around the pain, and everything you do is based on your limitations.

When you shift your mental focus to healing, you are actually changing the energy in your body. You are removing negative energy blocks and allowing to positive transformation to begin.

Meditation is commonly practiced by those suffering from chronic pain conditions, those undergoing treatments for cancer (which can have terrible side effects), and those undergoing rehabilitation for physical traumas. The results are remarkable. Arthritisinsight.com, which advocates meditation for chronic pain sufferers, lists the following physiological benefits of meditation:

  • Deep rest-as measured by decreased metabolic rate, lower heart rate, and reduced work load of the heart.
  • Lowered levels of cortisol and lactate-two chemicals associated with stress.
  • Reduction of free radicals- unstable oxygen molecules that can cause tissue damage. They are now thought to be a major factor in aging and in many diseases.
  • Decreased high blood pressure.
  • Higher skin resistance. Low skin resistance is correlated with higher stress and anxiety levels.
  • Drop in cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease.
  • Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing. This has been very helpful to asthma patients.
  • Younger biological age. On standard measures of aging, long-term Transcendental Meditation (TM) practitioners (more than five years) measured 12 years younger than their chronological age.
  • Higher levels of DHEAS in the elderly. An additional sign of youthfulness through Transcendental Meditation (TM); lower levels of DHEAS are associated with aging.

Meditation 1-2-3

Boost your healing by incorporating meditation into your daily routine. It can lead to dramatic changes for the good. It is natural, safe, and can be done at home.

Meditation requires you to focus your attention on a single point of reference. This can be your breathing, a bodily sensation, or a word (mantra). The goal is to turn your attention away from distracting thoughts and focus only on this one thing, in the present moment. Meditation is simple, elegant, and takes a bit of work to master. Practice as often as you can.
Begin doing it twice a day, for 10 minutes each time. Find a comfortable, quiet spot. Wear comfortable clothing. Dim the lights if it’s helpful. You can sit on the floor, on a comfortable chair, or lie on the couch. (Don’t be too comfortable that you fall asleep). Close your eyes, place your palms on the top of your legs. Breathe deeply and begin. Your point of focus should be something soothing. (You don’t want to focus on your pain, but rather, something that takes you away from it.) If it’s helpful, use an audio tape, in which an experienced guide takes you through the meditation steps. There are many available in the market. Gradually you will be able to increase the length of time you meditate each session.

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Meditation is ideal for anyone with back pain to practice. You may have been diagnosed with sciatica, degenerative disc disease, spinal arthritis, bulging or herniated discs. It makes no difference. Meditate at home, on your own. No special equipment is required. There’s no cost. There are no known side effects and there is no conflict with any other course of care you may be undergoing.

Patients receiving treatment for their low back pain or neck pain at Back Clinics of Canada find meditation often becomes an important addition to their total healing program. Dr. Nusbaum encourages patients to incorporate anything in to their routines that naturally helps the body regain its innate ability to heal.