The Taiji Examiner – Tai Chi For Pain Relief

The Taiji Examiner

Top Pain Management Doctor Recommends Tai Chi For Pain Relief

by Violet Li

Dr. Daniel Richman is a board-certified anesthesiologist who has specialized in pain management since 1991. Some of the honors he has received include “One of the Top Doctors in Pain Management in New York area” by How to Find the Best Doctors: Castle Connolly Guide, New York Area, 5th Edition and “Best Doctors in New York,” New York Magazine, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Dr. Richman is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at the prestigious Weill Cornell Medical College. Many foreign state heads and dignities come to New York seeking his advice and treatment for pain. But with all his training in the most advanced technology in medicine, he is recommending people including his patients to take the ancient Chinese martial art Tai Chi for pain relief. violet li pic 2

So why does he do that?  Because Dr. Richman is a man of integrity, and he always wants the best for his patients.  And also because that he suffered from severe pain before and Tai Chi eased the pain for him.

Dr. Richman is extremely fit and very athletic.  He enjoys wind surfing and skiing among other sports. These strenuous sports can cause injuries. Wind surfing brought excruciating pain to Dr. Richman. As a pain specialist, Dan knows that western medicine is highly effective to bring down the pain. But without a proper maintenance program, pain can flare up again.

At the recommendation of a friend and his brother, he started his Tai Chi journey with Grandmaster Ren Guangyi in 2004. According to Dr. Richman, he had never studied martial arts before. He is very diligent and gets up daily at 5:15 am for Tai Chi. He meets Ren early in the morning for a 90-minute private lesson once a week. He also practices 90 minutes to 2 hours on the other days. In two months, his pain dramatically subsided. violet li pic 1

He finds that Tai Chi gives him energy and brings him sense of balance. In my recent interview with him, Dan also admitted that Tai Chi is fun to practice. It is remarkable that in eight years he has learned Chen Style Tai Chi Forms 19, 21, 38, Old Frame Routine One, Old Frame Routine Two, New Frame Routine One and New Frame Routine Two. In 2009, he joined Grandmaster Ren to go to China and even visited Ren’s hometown in the Shangdong province. He also appreciated the opportunity to study directly from Ren’s teacher, Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang.

Dr. Richman said that Tai Chi is a great exercise helps him with skiing too. To him, Tai Chi is the sport for life.

 

Violet Li

Violet Li

Violet Li – an award winning journalist, certified Tai Chi instructor, and certified Heart Zone Trainer, has studied Tai Chi, Qigong, and heart fitness with many grandmasters and experts, and has taught Tai Chi, Qigong, and other fitness programs to various groups. Her passion for Tai Chi, Qigong, and fitness motivates her to write articles on the related events, people, theories, techniques, practices, and health benefits for individuals. NBC of St. Louis featured one of her classes in “100 Year Old Tai Chi Artist”. Ms. Li writes regularly for the St. Louis Tai Chi Examiner and the National Tai Chi Examiner, and has readership from over 18 different countries. Do you have a story or comment to share? Please contact her at violet.li@tadi.com.

 

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