Tai Chi Health Benefit Themes: The Role of Tai Chi in Pain Modulation

What is pain?

Pain is the most common reason people seek medical advice. It is a complex physiological process resulting from illness, injury, disease and even malalignment. Sensory nerve endings transmit signals to various parts of the brain that are either fast and sharp, while others are slow and dull. We all vary greatly in our perception and response to pain.

What are the side effects of pain?

Acute pain, in particular, causes an activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include increased heart rate and blood pressure, shallow breathing, heightened emotions, an inability to relax and poor focus. This is why we usually ask for help when injured.

When pain becomes chronic, however, the consequences are more far-reaching. Depending on the origin, our mobility, joint flexibility and strength are affected, our mood can become both depressed and anxious, and we usually suffer from disturbed sleep patterns. This often leads to some level of chronic fatigue. Another unfortunate result of chronic pain is that we can become socially isolated under such conditions. It is a real challenge to maintain our routine and planned activities when our participation is limited by pain.

How can Tai Chi help us reduce, manage or eliminate our pain?

As we have discussed in my previous blog on the vagus nerve, Tai Chi activates our parasympathetic nervous system (slows us down). This means that the expected sympathetic response to pain is greatly reduced. Our heart rate and blood pressure are lowered rather than elevated, our mood is improved by “happy chemicals” released, our focus is sharper and we experience better sleep. This explains why we feel so “energized” after practicing Tai Chi, and our experience of pain is lessened or perhaps even forgotten.

Of course, the slow, gentle movements allow for a paced recovery of any injury or insult. Improved joint flexibility, strength and balance are often the result of continued practice. We have also just learned that the diaphragm is engaged during Tai Chi. This allows for an opening of our spine and thorax while the diaphragm’s connection to the vagus nerve is engaged, helping us to relax even more. Everything works together!

The cultivation of self-awareness in Tai Chi is one of the most valuable benefits in supporting us with pain regulation. Tai Chi teaches us to pay attention when we are either out of alignment or moving outside of our level of ability. By learning to self-correct by observation rather than reaction, we can prevent the sympathetic response from being automatically triggered and this helps avoid further injury and pain from occurring. How we respond matters!

Of great interest, recent research has further shown that the FAM (Focused Attention Meditation) aspect of Tai Chi (measured by EEG) is significantly greater in those who practice or meditate regularly. This means that, when measured, baseline dopamine levels (pleasure chemicals) are found to be higher in meditators and pain is not felt with the same intensity in this group. Other important chemicals such as endorphins are also released as part of our Tai Chi practice. Endorphins are natural analgesics, similar to morphine. They have been studied to circulate not only because of the physical movements performed, but as a secondary effect of the social interaction involved when we gather together.

So, let’s thank Master Moy for this wonderful gift of Tai Chi which helps practitioners reduce the suffering caused by the unwelcome experience of pain!

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Translation by Jordi Awarita, Cathy Filion