Thursday, November 6, 2008

Transcendental Meditation reduces the brain's reaction to pain (Transcendental Meditation)

Transcendental Meditation

Neuroimaging of meditation's effect on brain reactivity to painLondon, UK -- Twelve healthy long-term meditators who had been practicing Transcendental Meditation for 30 years showed a 40-50% lower brain response to pain compared to 12 healthy controls, reported by a latest NeuroReport journal article, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (Vol.17 No.12; 21 August 2006:1359-1363). Further, when the 12 controls then learned and practiced Transcendental Meditation for 5 months, their brain responses to pain also decreased by a comparable 40-50%. www.neuroreport.com Current issue (Aug 9)
Transcendental Meditation could reduce the brain's response to pain because neuroimaging and autonomic studies indicate that it produces a physiological state capable of modifying various kinds of pain. In time it reduces trait anxiety, improves stress reactivity and decreases distress from acute pain.

According to Orme-Johnson, lead author of this research, "Prior research indicates that Transcendental Meditation creates a more balanced outlook on life and greater equanimity in reacting to stress. This study suggests that this is not just an attitudinal change, but a fundamental change in how the brain functions".

Pain is part of everyone's experience and 50 million people worldwide suffer from chronic pain. Transcendental Meditation would have a long term effect in reducing responses in the affective component of the pain matrix. Future research could focus on other areas of the pain matrix and the possible effects of other meditation techniques to relieve pain.

Transcendental Meditation

4 comments:

  1. Wow it sounds like the TM people are so happy inside that they don't react to small disturbances in the body (like pain). That is amazing. I learned TM several years ago and it has helped me to become more balanced and have more energy. It's such a great technique for getting deep rest and recharging the batteries. Afterwards I feel so smooth and settled. Hmmm, I think its time for my TM now!

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  2. I was fascinated by Dr Orme-Johnson’s explanation that Transcendental Meditation can create a “fundamental change in how the brain functions”. The potential for this is endless; besides the obvious, like treating conditions such as chronic pain (mentioned in the article) or ADHD, I think of the many conditions that modern science considers unchangeable and how TM could help positively affect them. I have been meditating for a while and have gotten used to appreciating the benefits I experience in my personal life: greater happiness, flexibility, creativity, etc. now I see how much deeper the benefits go.

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  3. This fits with what I was told when I learned TM many years ago. We were told then that before learning the stress-reducing practice of TM, the accumulation of experiences were like drawing a line on stone. People were rigid. Then once TM is practiced regularly, the nervous system becomes more adaptable, and the accumulation of experiences are like a line on water. That is, the negative impact of experiences immediately dissipates. That has been my experience over the years of practicing my TM. I recover much more quickly from life's ups-and-downs.

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  4. Yoga Meditation is a wonderful resource for mankind because it can bring the mind to a state of peace with itself. A global society, which has an addiction to multi-tasking, needs time to "unplug" itself, and Yoga meditation offers realistic solutions.

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