NPR: A Crash Course in Body Scan Meditation

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<p>Interesting NPR piece on mind over body pain management and stress relief techniques:</p>

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The course is now offered in dozens of hospitals and medical centers around the country, and studies suggest it does help people cope with the psychological distress of diseases, such as arthritis, psoriasis and cancer…</p>

<p>I think the concept of who does it work for… depends on what exactly we’re measuring," Magyari says.</p>

<p>Take for example, a small research study with 63 rheumatoid arthritis patients. After two months of mindfulness training, the patients’ physical symptoms did not disappear, but they reported feeling better. Scores of psychological distress dropped 30 percent.</p>

<p>“It’s true that not everyone’s arthritis status changed,” says Magyari. “However, the (patients) feel like they’re coping with their arthritis much better than they were before.”</p>

<p>The power to “stay in the moment” is not a gift. As Bill Mies is learning, it takes a lot of practice to get the benefits.

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<p><a href=“http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7654964[/url]”>Meditation a Hit for Pain Management : NPR;