Center for Health and Healing

<html><head> <title>The Center for Health & Healing</title> <link rel=stylesheet href="../chhstyle.css" type="text/css"> <meta name="keywords" content="meditation,meditate,relaxation,mindfulness,stress,review,pain,insomnia,arthritis,colitis,surgery"> <script language="JavaScript">  </script> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"> <base target="_top"> <a name="head"></a> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="98%"> <tr> <td width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="149" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="95%" bgcolor="#95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="500" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td width="5%" bgcolor="#95a920"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="60" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="149" bgcolor="#ffffff" align="left" valign="top"><a name="top"></a><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="149" height="24" border="0" 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cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td class='content'> <p><b>Chronic Pain</b><br /> Carroll D, Seers K. Relaxation for the relief of chronic pain: a systematic review. <i>Journal of Advanced Nursing.</i> 27(3):476-87, Mar. 1998.</p> <p>Nine randomized controlled clinical trials involving 414 patients with a variety of chronic pain conditions were evaluated. Three studies showed a significant difference in pain outcomes for the relaxation group as compared to other treatment groups. Significant differences in favor of relaxation were found for rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and in one cancer pain trial. The remaining studies did not support the effectiveness of relaxation in pain management. Methodological problems in many of the studies suggest the need for further high quality research. </p> <p><b>Insomnia</b><br /> Morin CM, et al. Nonpharmacologic treatment of chronic insomnia. An American Academy of Sleep Medicine review. <i>Sleep.</i> 22(8):1134-56, Dec. 15, 1999.</p> <p>Based on a review of 48 clinical trials and two meta-analyses conducted by a task force appointed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, findings indicate reliable and lasting changes in several sleep parameters for patients with chronic insomnia. Results indicate that between 70% and 80% of patients benefit from treatment. Progressive muscle relaxation met the American Psychological Association criteria for empirically-supported psychological treatments for insomnia. </p> <p><b>Surgical Pain</b><br /> Seers K, Carroll D. Relaxation techniques for acute pain management: a systematic review. <i>Journal of Advanced Nursing.</i> 27(3):466-75, Mar. 1998.</p> <p>In this review of seven studies involving 362 patients with acute pain after surgery or during surgical procedures, three trials showed significantly less pain sensation and/or pain distress in patients who used relaxation. No difference was found in the other four studies. The evidence was considered inconclusive and relaxation was not recommended as the main treatment for pain management in the acute care setting. Further high quality studies are suggested.</p> <a href='#head' target='_self' class='disclaimer'>Top</a> <p class="timestamp">Content last modified on Apr 8, 2003</p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/bg_curve.gif" width="60" height="300" align="right" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt=""></td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="../images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="200" border="0" alt=""></td> </tr>  <tr> <td width="149" bgcolor="ffffff"> </td> <td colspan="2" bgcolor="ffffff"> <p> </p> <p class="copyright">©2002 Center for Health and Healing</p> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>