Neurology Now: Volume 3(6)
November/December 2007, p. 20-23,27
Mindful Of Pain
[FEATURE: MIND/BODY MEDICINE]
by HAUPT, JENNIFER
Yoga and tai chi can help you harness the power of the mind-body connection to ease the pain of multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, and other conditions....
START SLOW
Whichever discipline you undertake-as with all exercise-consult with your doctor first. Depending on the progression of your condition, certain forms of exercise may be too taxing. Start out slow, let your body be your guide, and for MS patients, be careful about overheating. For students who have MS or any physically limiting condition, moderation is important, says Karen O'Donnell Clarke, 51, a yoga therapist in Ledyard, CT, who has MS. Too much, too soon can overwhelm the system, causing fatigue and increasing the risk of njury.
Kevin McShea, 28, was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, and spent part of 2002 bed-ridden. When he decided to try yoga in late 2004, he started with private lessons. I wasn't very confident of what my body could do, says McShea, who took eight to 10 private lessons with Clarke, then joined her weekly classes. After just a few sessions, I began noticing changes-I wasn't as stiff when I walked up stairs, and even moving my leg from the accelerator to the brake when I drove was easier.
Clarke recommends starting with a weekly yoga class, and practicing breathing and stretching for five to 10 minutes each day and building up as you feel comfortable. The bottom line is that the more you do it, the better you feel.
Once people begin a routine practice, they find they have more flexibility and movement in their daily lives, Dr. Simon explains. The more they move, the more chemicals are released in their body that makes them feel psychologically better-which also makes them feel more able to physically move more. It's a mind-body cycle that feeds itself.
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