One of the goals for medical treatment ought to be to try to offer as many proven avenues for health as possible for
all clients. One of
the options should come in the form of two different programs from the realm of complementary and alternative
medicine. One is a relaxation therapy
program and the other is a meditation therapy program. Although they are related, there are some
differences between the two.
Relaxation therapy option specifically focuses on somatic relaxation techniques
which uses muscle relaxation through the application of internal observation to
help produce an overall relaxed mental and physical sensation (Freeman, 2009). Although Edmund
Jacobson’s Progressive Relaxation Therapy (JPRT) is common, it is understood that the
schedules of many of clients would require the Abbreviated Progressive
Relaxation Training (APRT) originally developed by Joseph Wolpe (Freeman, 2009), which as the name indicates more direct in it's approach.
Similarly,
a meditation program could include Clinically Standardized Meditation (CSM), Respiratory One Method (ROM), and
Mindfulness Meditation (MM). Through the
use of these forms the hope is to help clients rest their minds and experience the
physical benefits that have been recognized by meditation practitioners for
thousands of years (Freeman, 2009).
Consider the results of some of these studies from around the world:
One study, for example, was conducted
in South Korea and worked with 25 patients who were struggling with atopic
dermatitis, which is also known as atopic eczema (Bae, Oh, Park, Noh, Noh, Kim,
& Lee, 2012). After a month of
treatment, those who participated in progressive muscle relaxation noticed a
significant improvement in the irritation of the skin (Bae, et al, 2012). These participants also noted a drop in
anxiety and an overall improvement to their sleep (Bae, et al, 2012). The physical responses to the ability to be
able to relax gave these participants a new set of life-long skills.
An
additional study completed in Sweden also found that eczema patients saw
improvement in their condition through relaxation therapy (Utterström, &
Lonne-Rahm, 2009). This study
specifically worked with women struggling with eczema and stress. The researchers found that relaxation therapy
not only reduced the amount of perceived stress in the lives of these women but
that it actually reduced their eczema.
A study
with 49 participants compared meditation and a general health improvement
program. They found that although both
groups saw an improvement in stress levels, only the meditation group noticed
an improvement in their level of eczema (Rosenkranz, Davidson, MacCoon,
Sheridan, Kalin, & Lutz, 2013).
Given this additional evidence, I would recommend that we encourage
Louisa to take advantage of both of our programs in order to gain as many new
skills as possible.
One randomized clinical trial divided 168 participants with rheumatoid
arthritis into three groups receiving relaxation therapy, cognitive behavioral
therapy, or education concerning arthritis (ARUK, 2013). At a 12-month follow-up, the education and relaxation group reported
improvement in their pain levels while the cognitive behavioral group did not (ARUK,
2013).
A second
randomized clinical trial divided 68 participants into two groups. One was a control group and the other
received training in relaxation therapy and imagery techniques. At a six-month follow up the relaxation group
was able to demonstrate significant improvement in arm function and mobility
(ARUK, 2013).
Additionally, meditation tends to be
effective for pain and arthritis when it is part of a more comprehensive
program (ARUK, 2013). One study
demonstrated that participants in meditation reported a decrease in pain, along
with other groups in the same study (ARUK, 2013). Although the other patients participated in
cognitive behavioral, emotion regulation, and education therapies, the key is
to understand that if we can leverage a variety of treatments for patients,
then they have a heightened chance of success (ARUK, 2013).
As an example, please note that a study conducted by
Arizona State University found that participants in cognitive behavioral therapy
or meditation both saw improvement in pain reduction and their coping skills
related to pain (Zautra, Davis, Reich, Nicassario, Tennen, Finan, Kratz, Parrish,
& Irwin, 2008).
Memory flashbacks
are one of the primary indicators of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Bourne, Mackay, & Holmes, 2013). Several studies have shown that
relaxation therapy is often an effective means in which to assist those
struggling with PTSD and flashbacks (Nemeroff, Bremner, Foa, Mayberg, North,
& Stein, 2009). Researchers understand
that part of the reason that relaxation therapy helps with PTSD is because
relaxation techniques can minimize the influence of physical cues from the
surrounding environment (Church, & Brooks, 2013). Therefore, it is very likely that if we can help limit the access of some memories and mental pathways, the intensity of the reaction to the
stimulus and the flashbacks should begin to lessen in approximately two weeks (Church,
& Brooks, 2013).
In a similar way meditation can be an
extremely useful therapy for PTSD.
Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation is especially effective for
PTSD (Lang, Strauss, Bomyea, Bormann, Hickman, Good, & Essex, 2012). Researchers understand that meditation helps
the practitioner improve control over their own thoughts, their focus, and
judgments. This in turn allows the
patient to better control invasive thoughts and memories, and minimizes
distorted thinking (Lang, et al, 2012).
This type of therapy would allow a PTSD patient gain more control over his mind
and minimize the amount of flashbacks as well as their influence over him. An encouraging note is that researchers
recognize that combined and comprehensive therapy programs have a culminating
affect for some patients (Sharpless, & Barber, 2011).
Although relaxation therapy and meditation programs would be excellent for many, they will not fit everyone. As noted, in some
instances these programs are better seen as an additional support, or a success
multiplier. If we are able to assist patients, and encourage them into greater levels of health then we have
been successful. The challenge for all of us is to try to ensure that we are offering as many evidence-based care options as we can.
References
Arthritis Research UK (ARUK) (2013). Practitioner-based complementary and alternative therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and low back pain. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEsQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.arthritisresearchuk.org%2F~%2Fmedia%2Ffiles%2Farthritis-information%2FAdditional-items%2FCAT-report-2013.ashx&ei=5J19UunOE8nBkwX-nYGQBQ&usg=AFQjCNE-_YeHbVJrOdrGc_2DxlnkPefkOA&sig2=UfXwBiq9mtOdlJ5VIpdyCg&bvm=bv.56146854,d.dGI
Bae, B., Oh, S., Park, C., Noh, S., Noh, J., Kim, K., & Lee, K. (2012). Progressive muscle relaxation therapy for atopic dermatitis: objective assessment of efficacy. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 92(1), 57-61. doi:10.2340/00015555-1189 http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7971ed4b-5c9d-48fa-b75f-b3631a117bfb%40sessionmgr13&vid=17&hid=106
Bourne, C., Mackay, C., & Holmes, E. (2013). The neural basis of flashback formation: the impact of viewing trauma. Psychological Medicine, 43(7), 1521-1532. http://xt6nc6eu9q.search.serialssolutions.com/?genre=article&atitle=The+neural+basis+of+flashback+formation%3a+the+impact+of+viewing+trauma&title=PSYCHOLOGICAL+MEDICINE&issn=00332917&isbn=&volume=43&issue=7&date=20130701&aulast=Bourne%2c+C&spage=1521&pages=1521-1532&rft.sid=EBSCO:Social+Sciences+Citation+Index:000320449300017
Church, D., & Brooks, A. (2013). ORIGINAL RESEARCH: CAM and Energy Psychology Techniques Remediate PTSD Symptoms in Veterans and Spouses. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, doi:10.1016/j.explore.2013.10.006 http://www.sciencedirect.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/science/article/pii/S1550830713003029
Freeman, L.W. (2009) Mosby's complementary & alternative medicine: A research-based approach. (3rd ed). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
Lang, A. J., Strauss, J. L., Bomyea, J., Bormann, J. E., Hickman, S. D., Good, R. C., & Essex, M. (2012). The Theoretical and Empirical Basis for Meditation as an Intervention for PTSD. Behavior Modification, 36(6), 759-786. http://bmo.sagepub.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/content/36/6/759.full.pdf+html
Nemeroff, C. B., Bremner, J. D., Foa, E. B., Mayberg, H. S., North, C. S., & Stein, M. B. (2009). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A State-of-the-Science Review. Focus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry, 7(2), 254. http://focus.psychiatryonline.org.proxy1.ncu.edu/article.aspx?articleid=52899
Rosenkranz, M., Davidson, R., MacCoon, D., Sheridan, J., Kalin, N., & Lutz, A. (2013). A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation. Brain Behavior and Immunity, 27174-184. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2012.10.013 http://www.sciencedirect.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/science/article/pii/S0889159112004758
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Utterström, A., & Lonne-Rahm, S. (2009). Body balance reduces eczema in stress-related atopic dermatitis. Health (1949-4998), 1(4), 290. doi:10.4236/health.2009.14047 http://www.scirp.org/journal/health/
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