Reduce pain with fewer pills by using mind-body therapies

Dear Doctor K: I suffer from chronic pain. My doctor suggested that I look into mind-body therapies. Why? Is it possible to think your way out of pain?

Answer: I wouldn’t describe mind-body therapies as “thinking your way out” of any kind of suffering. But mind-body therapies surely can help reduce chronic suffering, including chronic pain.

Pain signals sent up the nerves from your body register in pain centers deep inside your brain. But signals from those pain centers then are processed by the “thinking part” of your brain. That part, in turn, is affected by your emotions, which come from a different part of your brain.

So, yes, how the rest of your brain responds to the pain registering in the pain centers of the brain can greatly affect how you experience it. Certain types of pain, particularly chronic pain that interferes with daily life, may respond to mind-body therapies. That’s good news for anyone who struggles with backache, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis or the many other causes of ongoing pain.

How you feel pain is also influenced by your genetic makeup, your personality and your past experience. If you’ve been in pain for a while, your brain may have rewired itself to perceive pain signals even after the signals aren’t being sent anymore.

Drugs can effectively relieve pain, but they often have unpleasant, even serious, side effects when used for a long time.

I spoke to Dr. Ellen Slawsby, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. She suggested that the following mind-body techniques can help take your mind off your pain. They may help to override established pain signals and reduce the need for medication:

Deep breathing. Inhale deeply, hold for a few seconds and exhale. To help you focus, you can use a word or phrase to guide you. For example, you may want to breathe in “peace” and breathe out “tension.”

Relaxation response. The stress response pumps up heart rate and puts the body’s systems on high alert. The relaxation response is a natural antidote. Close your eyes and relax all your muscles. Then concentrate on deep breathing. Continue doing this for 10 to 20 minutes. Afterward, sit quietly for a minute while your thoughts return.

Meditation with guided imagery. Begin deep breathing, paying attention to each breath. Then listen to calming music or imagine being in a restful environment.

Mindfulness. Pick any activity you enjoy — walking in nature, playing the piano or cooking — and become fully immersed in it. Notice every detail of what you are doing and how your senses and emotions are responding.

Yoga and tai chi. These exercises incorporate breath control, meditation and movements to stretch and strengthen muscles.

Positive thinking. When we’re ill, we often tend to become fixated on what we aren’t able to do. Retrain your focus on what you can do.