Managing chronic pain syndrome through practicing yan xin qigong: Evidence from a survey study

The Institute of Medicine reported that chronic pain affects at least 116 million Americans and costs the country $560 to $635 billion each year. Current medical model of care is ineffective in managing chronic pain. This study investigates the effect of practicing Yan Xin Qigong on managing chronic pain. Qigong is the foundation and an important component of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as traditional Chinese technologies for promoting and preserving health and wellness. The regulation of Qigong is under official administration by the Chinese government. Yan Xin Qigong integrates advanced traditional Chinese Qigong with modern scientific exploration and was recommended to the general public by the Chinese government agencies in 1998. It was introduced to North America in early 1990s. We use a dataset collected from Yan Xin Qigong practitioners in North America in 2001. A total of 1,041 practitioners voluntarily completed the anonymous survey. Survey respondents self-reported their disease conditions, including chronic pain syndrome, before and after practicing Yan Xin Qigong. A dichotomous outcome variable is constructed to indicate whether or not chronic pain syndrome was improved after practicing Yan Xin Qigong. Explanatory variables include the length of practicing Yan Xin Qigong and practitioners' socio-demographic variables. We conduct descriptive and regression analyses. Statistical analysis demonstrates that a high proportion of those with chronic pain prior to learning Yan Xin Qigong reported that their symptoms have been significantly improved or even cured after practicing Yan Xin Qigong. Yan Xin Qigong has great potential in effectively managing chronic pain syndrome.