Mindfulness and Chronic Pain

Although it feels pretty lonely when you have it, chronic pain is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by persistent pain that lasts for longer than three months and can have a significant impact on a person’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. While sometimes traditional pain management strategies such as medication and surgery can be effective, for most of us, chronic pain remains a daily struggle.

As I’ve shared before, I turn to mindfulness to help. I’ve also covered specifics from Jon Kabat-Zinn’s landmark book The Full Catastrophe: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness previously, but I thought I’d take a moment to share the why.

Mindfulness is the practice of being present; it’s paying attention without judgment. I think of mindfulness a little like a mountain lake. If you practice mindfulness regularly, then the waters are more calm and reflective of what’s around you. It means intentionally setting aside time to practice even when things are good. Because when things are bad…you’re going to need it!

Research has shown that mindfulness can help to reduce pain, improve mood, and increase overall well-being.

One of the ways in which mindfulness can help to reduce pain is by changing the way we perceive pain. Pain is not only a physical sensation, but it also has a psychological component. Mindfulness can help to shift our focus away from the pain and towards the present moment, reducing the intensity of the pain experience.

Mindfulness can also help by reducing the impact of stress on the body. I know when I’m feeling stressed mentally, my pain level seems much higher. Stress can exacerbate pain, and mindfulness can help to reduce stress by promoting relaxation and calmness.

As a brief recap, there are several different mindfulness practices that can be used to manage chronic pain. These include:

• Mindfulness meditation: This practice involves sitting quietly and focusing on one’s breath, or a word or phrase, while allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go without judgment.
• Body scan: This practice involves lying down and systematically scanning the body from head to toe, paying attention to any sensations or areas of discomfort.
• Yoga: (I have a multipart series on asanas I use…and more to come) This practice involves a combination of physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation, which can help to improve flexibility, strength, and relaxation.
• Mindful movement: This practice involves moving slowly and mindfully through a series of movements, paying attention to the sensation of movement in the body.

In my life and experience, mindfulness is a powerful tool that can help to reduce chronic pain, improve mood, and increase overall well-being. Mindfulness practices such as meditation, body scan, yoga, and mindful movement can help to shift our focus away from pain and towards the present moment, reducing the intensity of the pain experience. It takes the power from the pain.

Let me know how it works for you!