As per a recent study, the traditional Chinese practice of tai chi, the slow motion martial art, can be employed as a treatment for the patients suffering with fibromyalgia. The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine on August 19.

Fibromyalgia is an ailment in which the patient suffers from intense pain and tiredness. The study was carried out at Tufts Medical Center for 12 weeks comprising clinical trials on patients with fibromyalgia. It was found that those who were given tai chi treatment performed well in being relieved of the chronic pain, weariness, insomnia and distress much earlier than those who were provided exercises and wellness education. Even after three months of their treatment, tai chi patients were in apt state of improvement.

In the study, 66 Fibromyalgia patients were involved; some of them were guided by a Boston tai chi master with the yang style of tai chi, both through twice a week tai chi classes and a DVD to practice with 20 minutes daily. Others were given wellness education and exercises. One-third of those with tai chi treatment ceased using medicines, as compared to one-sixth who were put in the stretching group.

"I attribute the results to the fact that Fibromyalgia is a very complex problem and tai chi has multiple components - physical, psychological, social and spiritual", said Dr. Chenchen Wang, the lead researcher and Tufts rheumatologist.

But, Dr. Solomon and other experts suggested relying on results of much bigger studies.