James W. Carson, et al. A pilot randomized controlled trial of the Yoga of Awareness program in the management of fibromyalgia. Pain, 2010; 151 (2): 530 Cited from Sciencedaily.com (Oct. 14, 2010).
According to new research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, yoga exercises may have the power to combat fibromyalgia -- a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain.
"Previous research suggests that the most successful treatment for fibromyalgia involves a combination of medications, physical exercise and development of coping skills," said James Carson, Ph.D., a clinical health psychologist and an assistant professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. "Here, we specifically focused on yoga to determine whether it should be considered as a prescribed treatment and the extent to which it can be successful."
The researchers divided a total of 53 participants in two groups: one test and one control group. After eight weeks both groups were reasessed both with questionnaries and physical exams with regard to pain, fatigue, stiffness, poor sleep, depression, poor memory, anxiety and poor balance. The yoga group did better not only statistically but also to the extent that improvemnts were clinically visible.
