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Newswise CHICAGO, Feb. 25, 2015 -- Meditation might be an effective treatment for reducing chronic neck pain, according to research reported in The Journal of Pain.

Chronic neck pain can lead to serious comorbidities like depression. Patients with chronic neck pain frequently experience distress. Meditation has been increasingly used as a supportive treatment for individuals with chronic pain.

Previous research has shown that chronic pain is associated with distress and that meditation has stress relieving benefits. German researchers compared the effects of meditation on pain, perceived stress and psychological well being. They hypothesized that an eight-week meditation program will decrease pain more effectively than a standardized exercise program and that pain relief will coincide with stress reduction.

For the study, 89 patients with chronic neck pain who showed increased perceived stress were randomized into meditation and exercise program groups. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after eight weeks.

Results showed that meditation training significantly reduced pain when compared to the exercise group and pain-related bothersomeness decreased more in the meditation group as well. No significant differences between meditation and exercise were found for pain during movement, pain disability, psychological scores and quality of life, which is consistent with the known benefits of exercise on pain-related outcomes. The authors concluded that meditation has unique benefits for producing pain relief and for pain coping.

About the American Pain Society Based in Chicago, the American Pain Society (APS) is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering. APS is the professional home for investigators involved in all aspects of pain research including basic, translational, clinical and health services research to obtain the support and inspiration they need to flourish professionally. APS strongly advocates expansion of high quality pain research to help advance science to achieve effective and responsible pain relief. For more information on APS, visit http://www.americanpainsociety.org.

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Study Shows Meditation Can Reduce Chronic Neck Pain

Meditation might be an effective treatment for reducing chronic neck pain, according to research reported in The Journal of Pain.

Chronic neck pain can lead to serious comorbidities like depression. Patients with chronic neck pain frequently experience distress. Meditation has been increasingly used as a supportive treatment for individuals with chronic pain.

Previous research has shown that chronic pain is associated with distress and that meditation has stress relieving benefits. German researchers compared the effects of meditation on pain, perceived stress and psychological well being. They hypothesized that an eight-week meditation program will decrease pain more effectively than a standardized exercise program and that pain relief will coincide with stress reduction.

For the study, 89 patients with chronic neck pain who showed increased perceived stress were randomized into meditation and exercise program groups. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after eight weeks.

Results showed that meditation training significantly reduced pain when compared to the exercise group and pain-related "bothersomeness" decreased more in the meditation group as well. No significant differences between meditation and exercise were found for pain during movement, pain disability, psychological scores and quality of life, which is consistent with the known benefits of exercise on pain-related outcomes. The authors concluded that meditation has unique benefits for producing pain relief and for pain coping.

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The above story is based on materials provided by American Pain Society. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Meditation can reduce chronic neck pain, study shows

Denver, Colo. (PRWEB) February 25, 2015

Zen Planner, an all-in-one software solution for fitness business owners, announced today they have a partnership with martial arts gear company, Revgear. The partnership creates a referral program and provides Zen Planner customers with a custom Revgear partner store. The agreement also helps Revgear customers implement Zen Planners leading martial arts business management software in their schools.

Partnering with Revgear is a great fit for both parties, said Jeff Gardner, CEO of Zen Planner. Zen Planner has a strong martial arts and MMA community, and now Revgear customers have access to a software solution that makes it easy for them to grow, operate and manage their retail operations and business. This partnership will help our clients easily access top-of-the-line equipment for their schools with a custom Revgear partner store.

Paul Reavlin founded Revgear in 1996 when he was training for his black belt in Krav Maga. He and his instructors were frustrated with the equipment available because it didnt work for their type of training. Paul knew there had to be a better solution. He began to design gear that would hold up well under constant drills. Since then, Revgear has been an industry innovator and leader, providing martial arts schools with the some of the industrys best performing gear.

Paul Reavlin also founded Revgear University, a convention with groundbreaking, never-seen-before classes and workshops. More than just a martial arts convention, Revgear University is the place where the martial arts and fitness community comes to be educated, inspired and recharged.

About Zen Planner Zen Planners all-in-one software solution gives fitness business owners everything they need to turn their passion into a successful business. With integrated payment processing, scheduling, membership management, skills tracking, email automation and website templates - business owners have what they require to thrive in the fitness community theyve worked so hard to build. Customer support, available seven days a week, separates Zen Planner from the competition by delivering a user-friendly platform for business operations. Zen Planner is backed by a team of like-minded fitness fanatics, which is why one out of every two customers refers Zen Planner to a friend - making the companys satisfaction rating 99%. For more information, visit zenplanner.com.

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Zen Planner Announces Partnership with Revgear