Why Yoga?
Movement Heals
Living with chronic pain likely means you’ve been on a lifelong journey to find relief. There are many ways to treat symptoms and ease pain, but the best one I’ve found (and the whole purpose of Chronic Asana) is movement.
I know how hard it is to consider moving your body when it’s in pain – but it’s essential!! And again, there are many ways to move, but the most gentle, inclusive & integrative one that I’ve found is (drumroll) yoga.
The beauty of yoga is the vastness of its landscape. Everything from fast-flowing pretzel shapes to still seated meditation & everywhere in between.
10 Ways Yoga Can Help Ease Chronic Pain
1. Pain Reduction and Management
Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials consistently show that yoga practice can significantly reduce pain intensity across various chronic pain conditions, including lower back pain, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. The combination of gentle movement, breathing techniques, and mindfulness appears to alter pain perception and reduce overall pain scores.
2. Improved Physical Function and Mobility
Research demonstrates that regular yoga practice enhances flexibility, strength, and range of motion in people with chronic pain conditions. Studies on individuals with chronic lower back pain show improved functional capacity and reduced disability scores after yoga interventions, helping people perform daily activities with greater ease.
3. Stress Hormone Regulation
Yoga practice has been shown to reduce cortisol levels and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps counteract the chronic stress response often associated with persistent pain. This hormonal rebalancing can break the cycle where stress exacerbates pain and pain increases stress.
4. Enhanced Sleep Quality
Multiple studies indicate that yoga improves sleep duration and quality in chronic pain patients. Better sleep is crucial for pain management, as poor sleep can lower pain thresholds and increase pain sensitivity. The relaxation techniques in yoga help regulate sleep-wake cycles.
5. Reduced Inflammation
Research shows that yoga practice can decrease inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Since chronic inflammation often contributes to persistent pain conditions, this anti-inflammatory effect may help address underlying pain mechanisms rather than just symptoms.
6. Improved Mood and Reduced Depression
Clinical trials demonstrate that yoga interventions significantly reduce depression and anxiety scores in chronic pain populations. The combination of physical movement, breathing exercises, and mindfulness appears to boost mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA.
7. Enhanced Pain Coping Strategies
Studies show that yoga helps people develop better pain coping mechanisms through increased body awareness and mindfulness skills. Practitioners learn to observe pain sensations without immediately reacting, which can reduce the emotional distress associated with chronic pain.
8. Nervous System Regulation
Yoga practice influences the central nervous system’s pain-processing pathways. Neuroimaging studies suggest that yoga may help reduce pain-related brain activity and strengthen neural networks involved in pain inhibition and emotional regulation.
9. Improved Balance and Fall Prevention
For individuals whose chronic pain affects mobility, yoga has been shown to improve balance and reduce fall risk. This is particularly important for older adults with conditions like arthritis or neuropathy, where pain can compromise stability and confidence in movement.
10. Social Support and Self-Efficacy
Group yoga classes provide social connection, which research shows is important for chronic pain management. Additionally, successfully learning and practicing yoga techniques can increase self-efficacy and give people a sense of control over their pain experience, which correlates with better pain outcomes.
The evidence base for yoga in chronic pain management continues to grow, with many studies showing effects comparable to pain medications like NSAIDs
I think that one of the most wonderful things about yoga is the fact that its called a "yoga practice" to imediately inform you that the work is never done. Scary? A little. Worth it? One million percent.
If you have tried yoga in the past & something about it didn’t feel quite right, I encourage you to try again. There are like 100 styles of yoga & tens of thousands of unique teachers, so its worth another roll of the dice.
You stand to gain a deeper awareness of yourself & a large bag of tools to cope with life in chronic pain.