Gayatri, once an enthusiastic person became a victim of chronic pain and lost her enthusiasm to it. When those NSAIDS didn’t do any good, the competent banker and mother was put on opioids by her physicians. When the Opioids failed to relieve her from the pain of unknown cause, she lost her hopes of living a normal life again completely.
She then was suggested Vipassana Meditation, something she had never heard of by her colleague. With no choice left she had to go for meditation reluctantly. Initially, she found it tough to follow the techniques but soon she learnt the proper method and started seeing the results. Now, she is completely hale and hearty. It is nothing less than a miracle to her and her family. They wish they had known about it before. She is just one such example, there are many others who have benefited from meditation profoundly.
Has meditation really helped her, is it the placebo effect?
Vipassana means ‘insight’. Vipassana meditation is nothing but seeing things as they are, becoming aware of one’s self and the surroundings, unbiased. It is about accepting things as they are; this increases the threshold of one’s pain. Researches have also shown that meditation triggers the release of Endorphins, hormones, which activate the body’s Opiate receptors causing an analgesic effect. So, now we know it is not the placebo effect or just the effect of being positive.
Inflammation and Meditation
Many studies have found a direct correlation between reduced inflammation in the body and meditation. In a study, meditators showed a greater decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines than the controlled group. Also, the regular meditators have lower production of cortisol, the stress hormone. They have better mental health parameters than those of the non-meditators.
The practice of meditation lessens inflammation day to day, not just during meditation itself. The benefits show up with just four weeks of mindfulness or vipassana practice. The fMRI scans showed the greater connection between the prefrontal region and the default regions responsible for stress and mindless chatter resulting in lower pro-inflammatory cytokine.
Meditation can ease your pain
Everybody has different tolerant capacities but chronic pain can drain one physically and emotionally. Pain usually subsides after the stimulant is removed. Those which persist even after the cause is treated and those of unknown cause definitely can be soothed by meditation. Pharmacotherapy has its own side effects and adverse effects, to avoid those undesirable consequences especially after prolonged exposure to drugs one can opt for meditation; not only does it relieve the pain but makes one’s life fulfilled with contentment and achievements.
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