We all know that chronic pain and inflammation is complex and that there are no easy answers. Like most things in life there is no magic bullet that will instantly solve this problem.
A great strategy to reduce chronic pain is to work on reducing inflammation in the body. And the good news here is that there are many things you can do to reduce inflammation.
Last week we discussed 3 techniques (anti inflammatory diet, hydration, sleep) to reduce inflammation and pain. To read that post click here. This week I will outline 3 more tools to help you reduce inflammation and thereby reduce chronic pain.
It is important to understand that reducing inflammation is important business. Reducing inflammation can reduce chronic pain, but it also boosts your immune function (which is helpful during a world pandemic), combats stress, and decreases your risk for heart disease and cancer.
Technique # 4 Exercise
Often we are intimidated to take up exercise because we think that we must work out at our peak exertion level for a long duration in order to reap the health benefits of exercise.
But that is simply not true.
Moderate exercise has been shown to reduce chronic inflammation.
In fact in a recent study researchers showed that 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise, including fast walking, is sufficient to activate the inflammation-reducing effects of exercise. (read about the study here and here)
In addition – intense workouts actually cause acute inflammation – it’s part of the process which encourages the body to divert blood and nutrients to specific muscle groups. This ultimately allows for muscle growth and increased strength.
So after an intense workout it’s super important to allow the body to rest and recover from the inflammatory process. Chronic over-exercising can cause chronic inflammation over time if the body is not allowed appropriate rest time in between intense workouts.
Technique # 5 -Meditation
We are constantly being told that meditation is good for us. And it is.
Focused deep breathing helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and turn off the inflammation caused by stress and it’s subsequent activation of the sympathetic nervous system (also known as fight or flight). To read more about how to easily incorporate meditation into your life click here or here.
Randomized control trials show that mindfulness meditation interventions can reduce CRP (C-reactive protein – a biomarker for inflammation) and reduce other biomarkers of inflammation.
And finally – you can combine meditation with exercise and try yoga, qi gong, or tai chi. These techniques combine physical activity with focus on the breath – the proverbial 2 birds with 1 stone.
There’s evidence that such “mind-body practices” dampen the activity of genes associated with inflammation – essentially reversing molecular damage caused by stress. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Genes related to inflammation became less active in people practicing mind-body interventions.
For an introduction to a basic and classic qi gong routine check out the 8 Brocades. You can watch this video ( or find a different one). I aim to do this routine daily and believe it was helpful for me in my recuperation process from COVID-19.
Technique # 6 Acupuncture
Studies show that acupuncture can reduce systemic inflammation.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School are studying how this actually works. In a recent study they created sepsis in mice and treated them with electroacupuncture. The acupunctured mice had lower levels of inflammation-inducing cytokines and had a three-fold greater survival rate than control mice.
And acupuncture is great at relieving pain. The WHO recognizes acupuncture as an evidence based intervention in the treatment of many pain disorders.
Getting needled can both reduce chronic inflammation and eliminate pain 🙂
So here you have it – 6 paths to reducing inflammation. It is best to combine a few of them – or go crazy and try all of them – the only thing you can lose is your pain.
These techniques, used together, are vital for reducing inflammation. They can help reduce pain and create lasting health and vitality.
