An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation for Pain Management
Meditation is a type of mind-body practice that focuses your attention on aspects of inner or outer experience. Meditation is a broad term for different types of techniques focused on combining the body and mind. It’s used to calm the mind and can improve well-being. Mindful meditation involves maintaining attention or awareness on the present, moment by moment without making judgement. It’s about focussing on reconnecting with our body and sensations, by paying attention to sights, sounds, smells and tastes in the present moment, as well as our thoughts and feelings as they happen.
How Can Mindfulness and Meditation Help?
Mindfulness allows us to be aware of our thoughts objectively, including negative ones. This helps us to take a step back and to train ourselves to take control of our thoughts without letting them overwhelm us. Mindfulness can help us recognise and manage signs of stress and anxiety. Mindful meditation may also help with pain, depression, physical and mental health.
Can Emotions affect Pain?
We don’t always recognise that emotions like stress could be the reason for our pain. Stress can cause pain such as headaches, muscle tension and even chest pain. Health issues can also cause stress, so it’s like a two-way street, where stress can cause pain and pain can cause stress. Pain can also cause depression and anxiety.
Meditation and mindfulness can help you manage your stress, anxiety and depression. Managing your stress, anxiety and depression, may help to lower your pain.
What types of pain can it help?
Mindfulness meditation can help you manage a wide range of pain-related conditions, from migraine to joint and muscle pain, and several other types of pain conditions including persistent or chronic pain.
Can You learn mindfulness meditation?
Mindfulness does not always require training. In fact, many people practice it without training.Many people find mindfulness helpful, but it might not be right for you. Some people find that it doesn’t help them, or that it can make them feel worse.
Mindfulness Meditation Techniques for Pain Relief
Mindfulness meditation for pain relief, dates back thousands of years, to the ancient texts of Buddhism. The practice of mindfulness meditation involves sitting silently and paying attention to thoughts, sounds, the sensations of breathing or parts of the body, bringing your attention back whenever the mind starts to wander.
In some courses or types of mindfulness meditation, different practices may be combined with other activities. For instance, you could combine yoga and tai-chi with mindfulness meditation, since they can also help with developing awareness of your breathing.
Remember these 3 principles, when starting to practice mindfulness techniques:
- Notice how your thoughts come and go. These thoughts don't have to define who you are, or your experience of the world. You can let go of them.
- Take note of what your body is telling you, such as signs of tension or anxiety, like a fast heartbeat, tense muscles or shallow breathing.
- Distance yourself from your thoughts, so that you can reflect on them and react calmly to the situation.
There are different mindfulness techniques to help with days to day wellbeing and reduce pain. Here’s some simple ones to try at home:
Mindful Breathing
Concentrating on your breathing can help when you’re in pain. Many people find that yoga helps them to concentrate on their breathing and focus on the present moment. Pain may cause you to take shallow, rapid breaths, increasing anxiety or making you feel panicked or dizzy. Slow your breathing down and breathe deeply to relax muscles and prevent anxiety.
Mindful moving, walking or running.
Simple activities like walking, gardening or dancing can ease pain by interfering with pain signals, and stretch stiff or tense muscles, ligaments and tendons.While exercising, try focusing on the feeling of your body moving. If you go for a walk, tune your mind in to notice the sensations on your body, such as the breeze against your skin, the feeling of your feet or hands against different textures on the ground or nearby surfaces, and the different smells around you.
Body scan for relaxation.
Using relaxation techniques regularly can help to reduce persistent pain. One way of relaxing your whole body is a body scan. Move your attention slowly through different parts of your body. Start from the top of your head, moving down to the end of your toes. Try to focus on feelings like warmth, tension, tingling or relaxation as you scan through the different parts of your body.
Mindful Hobbies
Distracting your attention on to something else such as an activity that you enjoy or find stimulating, can move your thoughts away from your pain. Many hobbies, like sewing or knitting, are possible even when your mobility is restricted. Focus on the sensations of the activity, rather than the result. For example, you could try mindful drawing or colouring. Rather than trying to draw something, focus on the colours and the sensation of your pencil against the paper. You could use a mindfulness colouring book, download mindfulness colouring images or colouring apps on your smart phone.
More Information About Pain Management
Mindfulness and meditation can be very helpful when it comes to pain management. You could also pair mindfulness and meditation with other pain-relief approaches, such as:
- Doing regular gentle exercise
- Physical therapy
- Use an over-the-counter pain relief product. Ibuprofen is an NSAID and has both pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties.
This article is for general information only and not intended as a substitute for medical advice. All information presented on these web pages is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. In all health-related matters, always consult your healthcare professional.
Always read the product label. Use only as directed. Incorrect use could be harmful. If symptoms persist consult your healthcare professional.
FAQs
How can I learn mindfulness meditation?
You may want to begin by speaking to your doctor for advice on courses for mindfulness meditation. Alternatively, you could search online. There are many mental health apps available to help you. Some are free and some come at a low cost. Different approaches work for different people and whether you find apps helpful may depend on your personal preferences.
How do I focus on the present during mindfulness meditation?
You could do this by focusing on your breathing or on what you can see, hear or feel, smell, touch or taste.
What if I struggle with mindfulness meditation?
Remember that mindfulness can be difficult, and our minds will always wander. Try not to be critical of yourself. When you notice your mind wandering, you can just gently bring yourself back to the exercise. Mindfulness and meditation are not for everyone. If you’ve tried and it’s not for you, that’s OK. Try other strategies or speak to a healthcare professional for advice.
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