Treatments for systemic lupus erythematosus vary by patient and by healthcare practitioner, whereby one method will work well for one individual, and have little affect on another. So, it is not uncommon for someone suffering from lupus to explore varies ways to treat the symptoms of her disease –- especially pain caused by inflammation, a hallmark of the disease.
Some of these methods, like meditation, are considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), defined as a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices and products that are not presently considered a part of conventional medicine. These approaches come as novel to some and completely familiar to others. Meditation, for example, has been in use by various cultures for centuries.
It is important to note, however, that the Lupus Foundation of America does not recommend medications, products or methods not approved by the FDA or the American College of Rheumatology, further stating on its web site, “Remedies that have not undergone the scrutiny of scientific investigation, lack the crucial information and data necessary to enable physicians to make sound recommendations regarding substances.”
Before exploring any new treatment option, then, it is best to talk with your healthcare provider.
What is Meditation?
More and more these days, meditation is becoming a popular tool for reducing stress and anxiety, as a coping mechanism for a number of chronic illnesses, including lupus, and in some instances, as a way to help manage pain.
As defined, meditation is a “conscious mental process using certain techniques to narrow your focus of attention or maintain a specific posture, to relax the body and mind by suspending stream of consciousness.”
How Can it Help Me?
Many who practice medicine for health purposes do so to:
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Manage pain
- Control depression
- Assist with mood and self-esteem problems
- Alleviate insomnia
- Manage physical or emotional symptoms associated with chronic illnesses, like lupus, and effects brought on by their course of treatment.
With regard to overall health, it is not known what influence meditation may have over the body, but research is ongoing. It’s effect on health has been studied in patients suffering from fibromyalgia, cancer, hypertension, and psoriasis. Many earlier studies were small and lacked experimental controls, but the quality and quantity of research into the positive effects of meditation on general welfare are growing.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and components of the National Institutes of Health are sponsoring studies to find out more about meditation's effects, how it works, and what diseases and conditions it may be best for.
How Can I Learn How to Do Meditation?
Generally speaking, meditation employs certain techniques and elements, such as focusing attention; a specific posture; and a determination to learn ways with which to eliminate distracting thoughts and emotions. Many simple meditation techniques can be taught by a trained professional in a clinical setting.
Regardless of the style or techniques taught to you, you will most likely encounter these four common elements:
- Quiet. It is generally encouraged that someone mediating find a quite spot with limited distractions.
- A specific, comfortable posture. The conventional wisdom -– or the pop culture image –- we have of people who meditate show them sitting on the floor with their arms on their knees, palms up and legs folded. The truth is, depending on the mediation type being practiced, it can be done while sitting, lying down, standing, walking, or in other positions.
- Attention focus. This is specific to focusing on a thing, or a mantra: an object or a word or a mental image, that helps the person eliminate distracting thoughts and emotions.
- An ‘open attitude.’ Defined as “letting distractions come and go naturally without stopping to think about them.”
How Might it Help Me?
It is thought that meditation induces certain changes in the body, specifically the body's ‘fight or flight’ response, which is tied to the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic system regulates many organs and muscles, including the heart, breathing, and digestion.
Further research is trying to determine what goes on in the brain and the body during meditation, and diseases or conditions for which meditation might be useful.
Are There Any Risks?
Risks are few and focused mainly on the effects of intensive meditation, which, it is believed, could worsen –- or in some instances bring on –- symptoms in people who have certain psychiatric problems
Sources:
Meditation for Health Purposes. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. National Institutes of Health. June 2007.
Meditation's impact on chronic illness. Holistic Nursing Practice. Bonadonna, R. November/December 2003.
