Mind over muscle in easing chronic back pain

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WPVI) -- Relief from chronic back pain can be hard to find.

But a growing number of studies say MEDITATION may do more than MEDICATION.

About 2 dozen studies have shown that lower back pain eases when patients go onto a program of regular meditation.

It's because the practice moves your mind to something more quiet and calm.

"When your focus is on the pain, obviously, that increases the pain. People that meditate, muscle tension drops, heart rate drops, respiration gets deeper, your breaths get deeper," says Jane Ehrman, a lifestyle health expert with the Cleveland Clinic.

In one study, people who practiced for 8 weeks got relief.

But the improvement increased after 6 months and even after a year.