Group Yoga Therapy for People Living with Chronic Pain: Improving Vagal Efficiency with Yoga

Abstract

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has shown yoga to be helpful for the most common types of chronic pain such as low back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches and neck pain. Improvement in chronic pain with yoga may be attributed to greater nervous system flexibility and vagal tone. Yoga is a practice that can lead to neuroplasticity and an improved balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.Despite growing evidence of the effectiveness of yoga for chronic pain, a gap exists in finding appropriate classes that are accessible for people living with chronic pain. This session will review the results of a midwestern healthcare system’s program of group yoga therapy paired with pain neuroscience education. Building on previous results shared in 2023, this session will reveal new results of our free, web-based program and improved in person group sessions as we have expanded our program within our healthcare system. Early results from the past 2 years show improvement in PESQ-10 scores at the completion of our 8-week program and after 3 months. Attendees will learn simple, effective yoga techniques and resources they can provide their patients to improve vagal efficiency. There is a growing body of research demonstrating the positive impact yoga has on improving pain, quality of life, and function. In addition, yoga provides more regulation between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and reduces stress, while improving sleep. With the population aging, improved strength and balance are also important benefits yoga offers. Effective, evidence-based, accessible movement therapy programs that not only reduce pain, but improve function and overall wellbeing are needed as healthcare reimbursement is often lacking for these interventions.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has shown yoga to be helpful for the most common types of chronic pain such as low back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches and neck pain. Improvement in chronic pain with yoga may be attributed to greater nervous system flexibility and vagal tone. Yoga is a practice that can lead to neuroplasticity and an improved balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.Despite growing evidence of the effectiveness of yoga for chronic pain, a gap exists in finding appropriate classes that are accessible for people living with chronic pain. This session will review the results of a midwestern healthcare system’s program of group yoga therapy paired with pain neuroscience education. Building on previous results shared in 2023, this session will reveal new results of our free, web-based program and improved in person group sessions as we have expanded our program within our healthcare system. Early results from the past 2 years show improvement in PESQ-10 scores at the completion of our 8-week program and after 3 months. Attendees will learn simple, effective yoga techniques and resources they can provide their patients to improve vagal efficiency. There is a growing body of research demonstrating the positive impact yoga has on improving pain, quality of life, and function. In addition, yoga provides more regulation between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and reduces stress, while improving sleep. With the population aging, improved strength and balance are also important benefits yoga offers. Effective, evidence-based, accessible movement therapy programs that not only reduce pain, but improve function and overall wellbeing are needed as healthcare reimbursement is often lacking for these interventions.