Chronic Pain
Use of meditation for patients experiencing chronic pain
has been well documented experientially and empirically.
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| In a study of 51 patients with chronic pain who had
been unsuccessfully treated by conventional methods,
Kabat-Zinn reported significant decreases in pain and
in the number of medical symptoms reported by patients
enrolled in a 10-week mindfulness-based stress reduction
(MBSR) training program.
Significant reductions in mood disturbances and psychiatric
symptomatology were also noted. One methodological
limitation of this study was the lack of a comparison
or control group.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1982). An
outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic
pain based on the practice of mindfulness meditation.
General Hospital Psychiatry, 4, 33-47.
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| A larger clinical trial examined the impact of mindfulness
meditation on 90 chronic-pain patients. Statistically
significant reductions were reported in present-moment
pain, negative body image, inhibition of activity by
pain, symptoms, mood disturbance, and psychological
symptomatology including anxiety and depression.
A comparison group of chronic-pain patients did not
show significant improvement on these measures. Improvements
reported by the patients who received the 10-week
mindfulness meditation training were maintained up
to 15 months post-meditation training for all measures
except present-moment pain.
Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth,
L., & Burney, R. (1985). The clinical use of mindfulness
meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain.
Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 8(2), 163-190.
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| A 4-year follow-up of 225 chronic-pain patients enrolled
in an 8-week mindfulness meditation training program
documented that improvements in physical and psychological
status were maintained: 93% of patients reported the
present use of at least one of the three meditation
practices taught in the initial training.
Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth,
L., Burney, R., & Sellers, W. (1987). Four-year
follow-up of a meditation program for the self-regulation
of chronic pain: treatment outcomes and compliance.
Clinical Journal of Pain, 2, 159-173.
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| In a randomized controlled clinical trial of patients
with fibromyalgia an 8 week mindfulness-based meditation
intervention was compared with an education support
group. Pain was one of the primary outcome measures.
In comparing outcomes at baseline with outcomes at 8,
16 and 24 weeks, both groups demonstrated statistically
significant improvements across time. However, there
was no difference between the mind-body training group
and the education support group control.
Astin J, Berman B, Bausell
B, Lee W, Hochberg M & Forys K. (2003). The efficacy
of mindfulness meditation plus Qigong movement therapy
in the treatment of fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled
trial. Journal of Rheumatology, 30, 2257-2262.
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| In a one year follow-up of relaxation response meditation
in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, statistically
significant reductions in abdominal pain were found
post-course, and these changes were maintained over
the long-term.
Keefer L & Blanchard E.
(2002). A one year follow-up of relaxation response
meditation as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.
Behavior Research & Therapy, 40, 541-546.
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