How does mind/body medicine work?

Reflections on Mind-Body Medicine

• Mind-body medicine practices are based on the belief that the mind is able to affect the body
• The mind-body connection and the concept of ease/disease are well known
• Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques to enhance the mind's ability to affect the body's functionality
• Many approaches of mind-body medicine emphasize the power individuals have to influence healing
• This can be very empowering for many people
• Examples of mind-body approaches include:
  • Biofeedback
  • Art and Music Therapies
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Guided Imagery
  • Visualization
  • Meditation
  • Relaxation
  • Yoga

The well known phrase "mind over matter" propelled scientists to explore the concept and found solid evidence that mind-body techniques do fight disease and promote health, while improving the quality of life

How does mind-body medicine work?

• Under stressful conditions, the body releases stress hormones that can affect all systems and organs
• Certain emotions have been associated with disease
  • Stress related to hostility and anxiety can result in disruptions in heart and immune function
  • Depression and distress may diminish the body's natural capacity to heal
  • Defensive or stifling feelings may result in medical consequences, such as high blood pressure
  • High blood pressure is also associated with feelings of hopelessness
  • Hostile attitudes may increase the risk for
    • Coronary heart disease
    • Obesity
    • Insulin resistance-diabetes
• How a person deals with emotions may also affect how long one survive with a chronic illness
• The goal of mind-body techniques is to get the body and mind to relax and to reduce the levels of body's stress hormones
• Research shows that being stressed and having negative emotions is influencing health
• Many mind-body techniques are used along with medication to treat pain
• Mind-body techniques can be helpful for many conditions because they:
  • Encourage relaxation
  • Improve coping skills
  • Reduce tension and pain
  • Lessen the need for medication
• Mind-body techniques may help treat many different dis-eases:
  • Cancer
  • Emotional trauma
  • High blood pressure
  • Asthma
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Obesity
  • Pain and nausea/vomiting related to chemotherapy
  • Insomnia
  • Diabetes
  • Stomach and Intestinal Problems
  • Indigestion
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Heartburn
  • Crohn's disease
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Tinnitus
• Mental health issues:
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

References:

• American Cancer Society. (2002). American Cancer Society's Complementary and Alternative Cancer Methods Handbook. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society.
• American Cancer Society. (2001). American Cancer Society's Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Methods. Atlanta: American Cancer Society.
• Astin, J. A. Mind-body therapies for the management of pain. (2004, January-February). Clinical Journal of Pain. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 
• Bardia, A., Barton, D. L., Prokop, L. J., et al. Efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine therapies in relieving cancer pain: a systematic review. (2006, 1 December). Journal of Clinical Oncology. Alexandria, VA: American Society of Clinical Oncology. 
• Barrows, K. A., & Jacobs, B. P. Mind-body medicine. An introduction and review of the literature. (2002, January). Medical Clinics of North America. Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders. 
• Effectiveness of Ericksonian hypnosis in tinnitus therapy:preliminary results. Yazici, Z.M., Sayin, I., Gökkuş, G.,, Alatas, E., Kaya, H., Kayhan, F.T., (2012)
• Ornish, D.,, et al. J. Am. Med. Assoc. Vol. 280. (1998). Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease.