What is mind-body medicine?

Overview

According to Hippocrates, “The natural healing force within each one of
us is the greatest force in getting well.” Ancient civilizations and the
indigenous peoples of the Americas, for example, have known and practiced
mind/body medicine for centuries. These ancient healing practices include
traditional
Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and various forms
of indigenous medicine. This conceptual framework of interdependence of the
mind/body relationship is in sharp contrast to the theory of Western medicine,
which separates the mind from the body and sees no interconnection between
them.

Modern Interests

In the early 1960s came renewed interest in the possible connection between the mind and the body in the context of healing. George Solomon, a psychiatrist, knew that persons with rheumatoid arthritis had an exacerbation of symptoms when they were depressed. From this realization he developed a new field of medicine that incorporated the knowledge of psychology, neurology, and immunology: psychoneuroimmunology. Another physician, Herbert Benson, studied the affect of meditation on blood pressure levels. Psychologist Robert Ader further illustrated the relationship of mind and body and how this interplay could be affected by mental and emotional cues. He was interested in how this relationship affected the immune system. The mind/body connection, for the most part, is no longer viewed with suspicion. Indeed, its study is now part of the curricula of many medical schools worldwide.

Mind/Body Medicine

Theoretically, mind/body medicine works through reducing stress levels, thereby
decreasing the overload release of hormones such as cortisol,
which affect the immune system. These hormones have a major affect on the
cardiovascular system, and they also increase inflammation of organs and joints.
By decreasing the release of these stressors, one can manage many chronic
diseases. Experiments have shown not only a reduction in blood pressure but also a
reduction in body temperature.

One has only to close one’s eyes and open one’s mind to visualize a Hindu monk,
for example, performing such physical-mental feats. These acts of will, through
self-control practiced through multiple forms of relaxation, can be performed by
anyone with training. Meditation, yoga, guided visualization, relaxation
techniques, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy are
methods employed in mind/body medicine.

Conditions that have been improved by choosing an appropriate modality include asthma, coronary heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia, menopausal symptoms, and the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. By choosing the preferred modality, a participant enhances the chance for success.

Hypnosis is another form of mind/body medicine that has
gained favor. It has been shown to be advantageous in multiple situations,
including dental treatments, minor surgery, and treatment for phobias. Although
this is a proven modality, it may not work for everybody.

David Spiegel of Stanford University School of Medicine treated eighty-six women with late-stage breast cancer; one-half received standard recommended treatments, the other half received, in addition to the standard treatment, weekly support sessions in which the women shared personal triumphs and grief. The women who participated in these support groups lived twice as long as those who did not have this social support. Other clinical trails have shown that meditation and laughter affect mood and improve the quality of life.

Practice

As with any form of medical therapy, treatments should be rendered by licensed
professionals only. Mind/body medicine does not provide curative measures as such.
It is a form of integrative medicine, complementary to well-established
medical treatments.

Also, it is important to have ongoing evaluation of the success or failure of treatment. Re-evaluation, which can be curative in its own right, is an ongoing process that should be incorporated into the routine activities of the person seeking care.

Motivation of the patient and the trust instilled by the practitioner are as much a part of mind/body medicine as the treatment itself. As with any form of healing, the interplay among those involved needs to be established at the start of treatment. The greatest satisfaction a practitioner can achieve is attainment of the goals set by both the practitioner and the person being treated.

Bibliography

Ader, R., and N. Cohen. “Psychoneuroimmunology: Conditioning and Stress.” Annual Review of Psychology 44 (1993): 53-85.

Lando, J., and S. M. Williams. “Uniting Mind and Body in Our Health Care and Public Health Systems.” Preventing Chronic Disease 3, no. 2 (2006): A31.

McMillan, T. L., and S. Mark. “Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Physical Activity for Menopausal Symptoms.” Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association 59, no. 4 (2004): 270-277.