©Bright Path Yoga Yoga Therapy for Mood Disorders in Fibromyalgia Janet Hennard, MA, RYT500 Bright Path Yoga
©Bright Path Yoga What We’ll Cover (Very Cursory) Fibromyalgia symptoms, causes, treatments Workshop Results Yoga protocol suggestions for mood disorders of fibromyalgia
©Bright Path Yoga What Is Fibromyalgia (FM)? A syndrome with symptoms that tend to occur together Most with FM are women in middle age
©Bright Path Yoga Common FM Symptoms Pain Stiffness Insomnia Fatigue Headaches Foggy thinking Anxiety Depression
©Bright Path Yoga What Causes FM? Not related to a specific, identifiable cause Now recognized as a disorder of the central nervous system
©Bright Path Yoga “Fibromyalgia: It’s all in your head!” “Yes, and in my nervous system!” Elevated Levels of Pain Neurotransmitters Lower Levels of Pain Neuromodulators Substance P*Serotonin GlutamateNorepenephrine Nerve Growth Factor**Dopamine * 3 times higher than in healthy people ** 4 times higher than in healthy people
©Bright Path Yoga Pain, Stressors, More Pain Pain Anxiety Fear Loneliness Depression Stress
©Bright Path Yoga Treatments Pharmacological –Meds galore!! Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) –Healing baths, meditation –Yoga
©Bright Path Yoga Workshop Managing Fibromyalgia with Yoga February-March, weekly 1.25 hour classes Lecture, sharing, practicing yoga and meditation Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) administered before and after
©Bright Path Yoga (Statistically significant) (Statistically significant) (Statistically significant) Results: Average FIQ Scores ©Bright Path Yoga
©Bright Path Yoga Q: Of the 7 days of the past week, how many did you feel good? Q: How many days last week did you miss work, including housework, because of fibromyalgia? ©Bright Path Yoga
©Bright Path Yoga Protocol Suggestions ― Pranayama Very heavy emphasis on breath awareness Asanas as “pranayama with movement” Avoid kapalabhati, other energetic breathing Alternate nostril or left nostril
©Bright Path Yoga Protocol Suggestions ― Asanas Grounding and chest opening asanas Yin Yoga, other long-held asanas Restorative with support props Affirmations with asanas
©Bright Path Yoga Protocol Suggestions ― Meditation Lovingkindness Mindfulness meditation (as with Jon Kabat-Zinn) Yoga Nidra