It is critical to learn how to use focus and deep breathing techniques to relax the body when preparing for any chronic pain management approach. It takes time to learn to relax, especially while you’re in pain. It’s helpful to be able to release muscle tension throughout the body and begin to focus on something other than the discomfort.
It is critical to learn how to use focus and deep breathing techniques to relax the body when preparing for any chronic pain management approach. It takes time to learn to relax, especially while you’re in pain. It’s helpful to be able to release muscle tension throughout the body and begin to focus on something other than the discomfort.
Controlled deep breathing is the first step in coping with chronic pain:
- Close one’s eyes or focus on a spot while lying down in a dark room in a calm, reclining position.
- Breathing slowly and deeply, with the chest as a source of support (and not the abdomen). If you’re distracted, think of a phrase like “relax” to help you control your breathing and regain attention. When breathing in, repeat the syllable “re,” and when breathing out, repeat the syllable “lax.”
- Continue with regulated breathing for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Imagery techniques can be employed after relaxation and attention have been attained.
The following are eleven excellent visualization and chronic pain control approaches for pain management:
- Focus has shifted. This is a popular approach for demonstrating how powerfully the mind can influence bodily feelings. Focusing attention on a non-painful area of the body (hand, foot, etc.) and altering feeling in that part of the body is an example of altered focus. Consider the image of the hand warming up. This technique diverts the mind’s attention away from the cause of discomfort, which could be in the back or neck.
- This chronic pain treatment is mentally separating the painful body portion from the rest of the body, or picturing the body and mind as separate, with the chronic pain being away from one’s consciousness. Consider placing the aching lower back on a chair across the room and instructing it to remain there, away from the thoughts.
- Splitting the senses. The uncomfortable sensation (pain, burning, pins and needles) is divided into discrete pieces using this procedure. If leg or back pain seems hot, for example, the sensation of the heat is concentrated on rather than the pain.
- Anesthesia of the mind. This method is visualizing a numbing anesthetic (such as Novocain) being injected into the painful location. Consider getting a numbing substance injected into your lower back. Similarly, visualizing a calming and cold ice pack being applied to the sore location can aid in pain reduction.
- Analgesia of the mind. This technique builds on the concept of mental anesthesia by envisioning a strong pain-relieving medication, such as morphine, being injected into the painful location. Imagine the brain manufacturing a tremendous number of endorphins, the body’s natural pain-relieving material, and having it flow to the painful locations as an alternative option.
- Using the mind to create changed sensations in a non-painful hand, such as heat, cold, or anesthesia, and then placing the hand on the painful location. The idea is for this pleasant, changed sensation to be conveyed to the hurting location.
- Age progression/regression is a term used to describe how one’s age changes over Using one’s imagination to transport oneself forward or backward in time to a pain-free or much-reduced state. Then telling oneself to act “like if” this image is accurate.
- Symbolic imagery is used. Consider a loud, unpleasant noise or a painfully bright light bulb as a representation of persistent pain. Reduce the discomfort by gradually reducing the unpleasant properties of this symbol, such as dimming the light or lowering the loudness of the noise.
- Imagery that is positive. Concentrating your attention on a nice location – such as the beach or the mountains – where you can reach a carefree, safe, and calm mood.
- Counting silently can help you cope with uncomfortable moments. The number of breaths, holes in an acoustic ceiling, floor tiles, or simply conjuring up mental images and counting them are all examples of counting.
- The pain movement. Transferring persistent back pain from one part of your body to another, where it is easier to manage, is a good idea. Mentally shifting chronic back or neck discomfort-into the hand, or even out of the hand and into the air, for example.
Some of these techniques are definitely best learned with the assistance of a professional, and it normally takes a lot of practice for these strategies to become effective in reducing chronic pain. Working on pain coping skills for 30 minutes three times a week is generally recommended. Relaxation and chronic pain control can grow powerful and endure for a long time with practice.
Chronic pain alleviation and relaxation can be achieved with just a few deep breaths after mastering these strategies. These approaches can then be employed when working, talking, or doing anything else. With enough practice, you can have a stronger feeling of control over your chronic pain and its implications on your life.