Chronic or severe pain can interfere with the ability to work, interfere with relationships, and disrupt sleep patterns. Even though we feel pain in our bodies, the mind-body connection is very strong, and research shows that you can use the power of your mind to relieve pain. If pain medications and other measures don't relieve migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, or other challenging conditions, consider trying mind-based techniques to control pain and reduce unpleasant sensations.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Resting the Body
Step 1. Lie down in a quiet room
Avoid all distractions and reduce any external factors that can make you too aroused. You can choose to close your eyes, or focus on a specific point.
Step 2. Take a deep breath
This is the most important step for dealing with physical pain mentally. If the pain is severe, you may breathe quickly and short. Breathe in slowly from the stomach, (this is called diaphragmatic breathing), and not from the chest.
- Try not to focus on anything but inhaling and exhaling. If you can recognize that you are in control of your body and master your breathing, you can do better to prevent pain from controlling you.
- Deep breathing is a Lamaze technique used to assist women during childbirth.
Step 3. Let the muscles relax
When you breathe deeply, muscle relaxation comes naturally. Otherwise, focus on letting your whole body limp and facial muscles relax. No matter how painful it is, resist the urge to move or make a fist. Try to let go of all feelings in your body and focus on just breathing.
Step 4. Do mindfulness meditation
This exercise focuses on breathing and keeping you in the current situation, which can help you achieve a steady and calm mind.
- Start with short, 10-15 minute exercises so they don't seem too overwhelming or strenuous. Sit in a comfortable position on the floor (or in a chair if pain limits your ability to sit on the floor); pay attention to deep, measured breathing; and focus on an object or repetition of a soothing or lightening phrase (this is called a mantra).
- It takes a little practice to understand meditation, but it is a powerful way to reduce the intensity of chronic pain.
- Recent research has shown that meditation can actually change the brain and the way the brain processes pain.
Method 2 of 3: Changing the Focus
Step 1. Turn your attention to another part of the body
Instead of thinking about a headache or burning hand, focus on another part of your body that doesn't hurt.
Step 2. Look for positive distractions
Pain has a way of absorbing all attention, but we can combat it by focusing on the things we enjoy, like watching movies, playing games, or spending time with friends.
Research shows that listening to music can help people with chronic illnesses. Music reduces pain and feelings of depression while increasing the sense of urgency in the listener
Step 3. Imagine your favorite food
Satisfying fantasies about food have been shown to relieve pain--try imagining a satisfying dessert or your favorite Sunday dinner dish. While this is a short-term solution, it's worth trying if you're looking for a quick pain relief.
Method 3 of 3: Be Creative
Step 1. Use mental anesthesia
Imagine you get a novocaine injection into the painful area and it creates a numbing sensation. Alternatively, imagine that you are placing an ice pad on the painful area so you can relieve the pain with a cool, soothing, numbing sensation.
To see this thought experiment through to the end, imagine the end result of anesthesia, including how the sore area feels after the injection and what the relaxation experience is like when the medicine starts to work
Step 2. Try visualization
Visualization, also known as directed imagery, involves the emergence of a detailed ideal situation and the emotions that accompany it. In the case of a severe or chronic illness, this means imagining a situation where you are not in pain, are relaxed, and feel good and are not stressed.
- First, go to a quiet place and find a safe and relaxed position; Next, imagine a place that you like, whether it's a favorite place as a child, a place you like to go on vacation, and so on. Experience all the senses--sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. Stay in the moment, paying attention to all the little details around you. If you really focus completely on this “state,” you may be able to lead yourself away from the pain.
- Visualization can take at least a few minutes or you can use this process for an hour. Details are the key to getting a fully realistic feeling physically and emotionally, to being free from pain.
Step 3. Turn the pain into a symbol
If you imagine the pain as a loud noise or bright light, you can lower the volume/clarity of the light, while reducing the pain you feel.
The trick is to imagine that you are slowly reducing the distracting qualities of the symbol (for example, the annoying sound of a car horn); when you reduce the distraction, you reduce the distraction caused by the pain. Imagine if you were turning off the physical horn, thereby “turning off” symbols and pain
Step 4. Think positively
Chronic pain can lead to very uncomfortable and negative thoughts that can actually increase the pain. Try to make the situation less gloomy or think positive images (the beach, a place with family and friends) to ease the pain.
- You'll have good days and bad days, but if you can accept the pain as something you can deal with and accept--not something you have to fight all the time--then accepting the pain might be easier.
- Expectations have a strong impact on the severity of your pain, so telling yourself that the pain isn't a bad thing can actually help make it a reality.
Tips
- Although the greatest benefits of these methods will be felt when you are in the process of practicing them, some methods--such as meditation and using music-can have a cumulative effect, which over time can relieve pain.
- If you have trouble sleeping at night because of chronic pain, you may want to try relaxation methods at bedtime.
- Combining these methods with other measures (such as taking over-the-counter or prescription medications or applying heat or ice) can increase your ability to fight disease.
Warning
- Remember, the presence of disease, even if there is no apparent cause, may be an indication that something is wrong. See a doctor if you are concerned about the underlying cause of the pain. *Being able to cope with pain through the power of the mind is not a substitute for professional medical treatment.
- You will have greater success doing some ways than others; if one method doesn't work, try another and remember, some of these techniques take time and/or practice.
