I recently asked my Space To Relax Free Group members on Facebook what they would like to see videos about. Three of our members suggested I make a video about how to use Qigong for fibromyalgia and its management.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is classified as a syndrome. This means it can involve a number of different symptoms. It’s often misdiagnosed or takes a long time to be diagnosed. This often means that patients have gone through many tests before they are diagnosed with this condition.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that I have often treated in my Chinese medicine and acupuncture clinic. I’m also familiar with using Qigong for fibromyalgia management.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Symptoms can present as widespread pain, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal symptoms. In my experience anxiety, sleep problems and muscle pains appear to be the three main symptoms that people are struggling with.
The Two Main Areas Of Focus When Using Qigong For Fibromyalgia Management
1. Relaxation
2. Releasing the areas where the Qi is blocked (the areas of pain).
Results from Dalhousie University Study Using Qigong To Reduce Fibromyalgia Symptoms
This study was carried out in 2014 and published in the “Evidence Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine Journal”.
The study group included 100 people. Half were taught Qigong by a Qigong teacher for three and a half days. They were then instructed to practice Qigong for 45-60 minutes per day for 8 weeks. Half were told they were to be put on a waiting list to learn Qigong (the control group).
After 8 weeks the Qigong group reported a significant reduction in pain levels, anxiety levels and an improvement in sleep quality and ability to function. In addition, 4-6 months later the benefits continued.
One of the authors gave the reason for this as “the mindful, meditative state releases neurochemical and immunological messengers that improve healing and reduce pain“.
For those of you who want to read the article please go to:
Qigong For Fibromyalgia – My Tips
1. For pains and aches. Stretch and extend the arms out to the sides at shoulder level as you breathe out and then gather Qi in with the arms as you breathe in to use the healing properties of Qi to relieve your aches and pains.
2. To improve the general flow of Qi . Circles exercise – Lesson 2 in the Space To Relax free 3 part video series (more details below).
3. For sleep and anxiety. Free 8 minute meditation: “Calm Your Busy Mind in 8 Minutes” at the bottom of the Space To Relax homepage.
4. For back pain. Qigong Standing Posture – see my previous video blog on “The Correct Qigong Standing Posture“.
5. For emotional pain (depression/anxiety). Discharge Waste Qi exercise – Lesson 3 in the Space To Relax free 3 part video series (more details below). You can any emotion or physical pain that you don’t want in your body and quickly get rid of it using this Qigong exercise.
6. For anxiety. See my previous video blog entitled “How To Calm Down With Qigong“.
7. For anxiety and increasing energy levels. Qigong Abdominal Breathing – Lesson 1 in the Space To Relax free 3 part video series (more details below) and there is an extract of an Abdominal Breathing exercise on the Space To Relax programme page.
For Space To Relax paying members there are specific lessons in the programme which will help you. I recommend Lessons 7 & 8 (Yi Tai Stretches), 11-19 (Ba Duan Jin), 45-47 (Walking Qigong).
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to start using Qigong for fibromyalgia relief you can sign up on the Space To Relax homepage to receive three free video lessons which will be delivered to you by e-mail. For the free audio meditation “Calm Your Busy Mind In 8 Minutes” scroll to the bottom of the Space To Relax homepage to sign up for that.
Also you can head over to my free group on Facebook, “Space To Relax Free Group“. Here you can leave any questions for me there and I’ll be happy to answer them. You will also receive regular postings of Qigong articles and videos with useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.
Please leave a comment in the comments box next to this video if you now have a clearer direction in which to go to use Qigong for fibromyalgia and its management. Also I’d love to hear what you do to minimise the symptoms of fibromyalgia if you have this condition.
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