Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia: Slow and Deliberate Progress?

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From The New England Journal of Medicine Communications Blog:

Fibromyalgia is a vexing clinical problem. Characterized by chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain, the management of this syndrome is complicated by its uncertain pathophysiology and a scarcity of highly effective treatments. When the best-known combination of education, exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications offer incomplete relief, patients and physicians are often left to wonder: Can anything further be done?

In this week’s issue of NEJM, Wang et al report on a randomized, single-blind trial comparing tai chi training to a control intervention of wellness education and stretching for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Sixty-six patients at Tufts Medical Center were randomized to undergo twice-weekly sessions in either the tai chi or control intervention arm over a twelve-week period. Changes to a well-validated patient-rated severity index, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) score, served as the primary outcome measure for the trial...

Read the original article here.

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Kalama Sutta (Kalama Sutra)

Do not simply believe what you hear just because you have heard it for a long time.
Do no follow tradition blindly merely because it has been practiced that way for many generations.
Do not be quick to listen to rumors.
Do not confirm anything just because it agrees with your scriptures.
Do not foolishly make assumptions.
Do not abruptly draw conclusions by what you see and hear.
Do not be fooled by outward appearances.
Do not hold on tightly to any view or idea just because you are comfortable with it.
Do not accept as fact anything that you yourself find to be illogical.
Do not be convinced of anything out of respect and deference to your spiritual teachers.

You should go beyond opinion and belief. You can rightly reject anything which when accepted, practiced and perfected leads to more aversion, more craving and more delusion. They are not beneficial and are to be avoided. Conversely, you can rightly accept anything which when accepted and practiced leads to unconditional love, contentment and wisdom. These things allow you time and space to develop a happy and peaceful mind. This should be your criteria on what is and what is not the truth; on what should be and what should not be the spiritual practice.