Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE Spring 2015, Issue 11 | Page 17

Self-Management Tools

combined, they show significant
improvement in pain. Additionally, they reported improvements
in confidence, overall symptoms,
and ability to cope. It appears
that choosing a practice that
involves the mindfulness component is important.

W

hat is qigong?
Qigong--also spelled chi
kung or chi gung–is a third type of
mindfulness meditation. As with
the previous practices, there are a
number of different styles. While
the names of different types
tell you what school of qigong
they are teaching, it will tell you
very little about what the actual
practice looks like. Often they
have names such as Wild Goose,
Soaring Crane, Jade Woman, and
Turtle Longevity; these practices
are generally founded in Taoist
philosophies.

B

enefits of qigong. The effects of qigong (Mist, Firestone, & Jones, 2013) have be en
more variable than either tai chi
or yoga but overall have had a
positive effect on pain. The variability may be due to the statistical issues with the study design
caused by small numbers of participants. Many patients with fibromyalgia showed improvement.
There was also a study of aerobics
for children that used qigong as a
comparator (Stephens, Feldman,
Bradley, & et al, 2008). The study
showed no difference between the
two groups but had significant
improvement within the group
indicating that it is a promising
area of future research and something that one may consider as an
adjunctive treatment.

W

hat to look for in a class.
There are similar issues when
looking for a class–whether it is tai

chi, yoga or qigong.
First, there is the
issue of availability.
Qigong is often only
available in communities with an Asian
population. However,
there are many classes
that could be done
over a weekend or a
weeklong class where
you would learn how
to practice and would
not need the group
practice.
There are benefits to
doing these exercise
programs in groups. If you develop
a relationship with the teacher or
the other students in the class, it is
more likely that you will have better adherence. Yoga and to a lesser
amount tai chi are more readily
available. Again, it is best to practice in a group setting as there are
added benefits by building a social
network. Additionally, you should
inform your instructor that you
have a chronic pain condition and
ask how to modify the practices.
While this is important for all modalities, it is particularly important
for those who are interested in
yoga.
All three can be practiced by those
with fibromyalgia and have good
retention and pain benefits. For
those who can’t find a class due to
time commitments or availability
might consider learning via DVD.
The Fibromyalgia Information
Foundation has a DVD which has
a yoga and pilates video developed by practitioners specifically
for patients with fibromyalgia.
This was developed by researchers
who have tested the protocol and
found it safe and effective. However, it is highly recommended
that you attend a class if possible.

S pring 201 5

In a study we conducted, one
of the major barriers to starting yoga –and presumably the
same goes for tai chi and qigong–
was concern over worsening of
symptoms. However, in the same
survey, we found that most who
started yoga have kept with it
and feel that it is an important
tool in managing their symptoms.
Further, the literature on all three
show that there is very little in
the way of adverse reactions to
starting a mindfulness based
exercise program such as these
three. Many have initial soreness
that is quickly replaced by greater
confidence and pain reductions.
Due to the safety and the possible benefits, I would recommend
seeing if it is a useful adjunctive
treatment in your regimen.
Scott D. Mist, Ph.D.,
M.AC.O.M., M.S.,
M.A., assistant professor in the School
of Nursing and
School of Medicine
at Oregon Health &
Science University
is the principal investigator for whole systems Traditional
Chinese Medicine for the treatment of
fibromyalgia funded by NCCAM.

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain

Life  17