According to a study out of U.C.L.A., the ancient practice of tai chi not only eased people’s suffering from tension headaches, but it was also shown to improve their perception of their overall health, which would include their mental and physical well-being, thus making it a possible candidate to complement or replace pain medication.

The exact cause of tension headaches is not exactly clear, but the there are believed to be rooted in circulation as well as muscle tension throughout the head, neck and scalp. They may in fact result from the same underlying causes of migraine headaches. Though they are rarely life threatening, they can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life, and as a result, have created a billion dollar industry in pain medication.

In an effort to address the costs and potential abuse of pain killers, scientist sought an more natural and healthy alternative. Tai chi, sometimes referred to as tai chi chuan, is an ancient healing exercise that was originally developed in China over 2000 years ago as a form of self-defense. The goal of tai chi is to restore balance in the body and thus improve its self-healing capacity by focusing breathing, coordination, and mental acuity. Because of this, it is often referred to as “meditation in motion.”

In the study in question, participants whose quality of life was being diminished by tension headaches were asked to take part in a bi-weekly program of tai chi. The subjects were taught the Yang style short form over the course of 15 weeks, with their quality of life (including the status of their headaches) assessed at five week intervals.

By the end of the 15 week period, subjects reported improvements in a number of areas, including pain, mental and physical fatigue, and overall quality of life, including social interaction. Best of all, the benefits were achieved without the use of medication.

The significance of this lies in the fact that most, if not all, courses of pain medication have some risk of complications, especially when used over long periods of time. These include physically adverse physical side effects, ineffectiveness of the drugs, potential addiction or dependency, and cost.

Furthermore, while pain medication alleviates the symptoms of the problem, they do not address the underlying cause, so once the medication wears off, the pain will return. And finally, the benefits of tai chi extend beyond just the amelioration of pain, with noticeable improvements in flexibility, circulation, as well as the easing of stress.

In the end, all indications seem to point to tai chi represents an easy, cost effective and enjoyable way to help improve our overall well-being, and in the fast paced, stressed out world we live in, who wouldn’t benefit from that?