# progressive muscle relaxation



## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

good simple explanation from Dr. Weil's newsletter: Tip: Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation Relieve stress muscle-by-muscle with a simple technique known as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). It can be helpful for musculoskeletal pain, anxiety, insomnia, migraine headaches, and chemotherapy-related nausea. Try it at home: Sit in a quiet place. (You can also do it lying down, but you may fall asleep.) Close your eyes and concentrate on breathing for a few seconds. Focus on a body part or muscle group -- say your feet. While taking a deep, inhaling breath, tense your feet muscles and hold it for five seconds. Then relax your feet as you exhale. Feel the release. Work on your legs next, moving up your body towards your face.Try doing this practice for 10 to 15 minutes each day. tom


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Tom, this I think is an extremely valuable tool for IBS I believe. I know a lot of people with IBS have excess muslce tension, perhaps in the back for one, but also up in the chest sometimes and in the gut for sure. This I feel also helps to calm the CNS which may calm the ENS and that can only be a good thing.


----------



## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

It is a god exercise to do. But to be honest, I've never been able to do it on my own or when people were directing me to do it. It just never really worked. Until I went through it with Mike's tapes - maybe it's his soothing voice and the cool accent







nancy


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Gald it help Nancy.







Me too. Tom, do you use this yourself?


----------



## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

eric, as a psychologist I've used it for twenty years. The interesting thing I've found is that it seems to work best by suggestion. I show them how it works and suggest they but the book but it doesn't seem to matter whether they buy the book or do it - it works - probably a placebo thing, or maybe my voice like Nancy said.tom


----------



## nmwinter (May 31, 2001)

tomfor me, I think it's because I can't focus if I'm trying to do it myself. It's the same as when I learned Tai Chi - I even tried tapes, but nothing. However, when I have a person standing in front of me and teaching me, I can do it. A focus thing I think.nancy


----------



## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

makes sensetom


----------



## Guest (Oct 13, 2002)

What are these tapes everyone keeps talking about?


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

JJKBRUCE, specific clinical hypnotherapy processes for IBS.This is the site and quite a few here have used them or are using them to help manage their IBS. http://www.ibsaudioprogram.com/ If you have any questions let me know.These progressive muscle relaxtion techniques can help a lot also so you know.


----------



## Guest (Oct 24, 2002)

I was taught this technique during biofeedback participation many years ago. I agree that it can be very beneficial.Please note that I was unable to participate with Progressive Muscle Relaxation unless I was medicated.Evie


----------

