Chronic pain affects people of all ages, children, adults, and old people alike. In the US alone, one in 5 adults, or 20.4 % of the population experiences chronic pain in one form or another.  Chronic pain is a special kind of pain that can affect any part of the body and adversely impact various facets of life. The focus of traditional treatment options such as medication and surgery has been on the physical impact of pain whilst overlooking the psychological and emotional aspects of chronic pain. 

There is a growing recognition of the importance of mind-body strategies in overcoming this deficit and how they offer a holistic avenue to combat pain and improve quality of life. In this blog, we delve into chronic pain, its impact on daily life, and how integrating mind-body strategies can empower individuals to regain control over their lives. 

What is Chronic Pain?

Unlike acute pain, which is usually temporary, chronic pain lasts three months or more. This means that it persists long beyond the typical recovery period of an injury or wound. Chronic pain also differs from acute pain in that the latter stems from a definite cause like injury and illness and goes away once the underlying cause is treated or has been resolved.

It is usually a result of a serious health condition such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathy and can virtually affect anyone, irrespective of demographic differences. A unique trait of chronic pain is that it can alternate between high or low extremes or turn into a continuous state. It not only brings about physical discomfort but can eventually take a toll on an individual’s mental health and, ultimately, their emotional, economic, and social well-being. 

The Physical and Emotional Impact

Chronic pain places serious limitations on an individual’s daily functioning by causing the sufferer to become preoccupied with pain, even fueling feelings of isolation and reduced self-esteem. Considering the multi-faceted effects of chronic pain, a holistic approach is warranted that takes into account both the body and the mind. 

Key Mind-Body Strategies for Pain Management 

Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness is about being fully alive in the present with a heightened consciousness of one’s current state of being. Research has shown that mindfulness practices can be highly effective in reducing the intensity of pain while adding to the emotional resilience of a person. 

Mindfulness works by making an individual less focused on the pain and instead turning his attention to other positive experiences or feelings. It stimulates a shift in one’s approach towards pain to interfere with how the brain interprets and reacts to pain-related activity. 

One simple technique is body scan meditation which aims to direct individual attention to different parts of the body while you observe the various sensations. Breath awareness is another useful technique wherein an individual is required to focus on the rhythmic flow of their breathing with their eyes closed to relieve stress and calm down their body and mind. 

CBT 

CBT is an evidence-based psychotherapy that can help individuals manage chronic pain by identifying and altering negative thought patterns linked to the pain.  It essentially aims to modify how an individual perceives pain to remove the source of negative thoughts and behaviors and in turn, improve their ability to cope with it. There are a variety of CBT techniques such as relaxation, stress management, and psychoeducation. >

CBT is grounded in a problem-solving approach that induces an individual to combat negative thoughts like “this pain will never go away” and replace it with a more positive mindset. This may also involve developing incremental action plans to deal with any sudden flare-ups. This is meant to condition your brain to adapt to the pain rather than avoid it outright, thus lowering its intensity. 

Expressive Arts Therapy 

Visuals are known to be the most powerful stimulus for the brain. Visualization is a relaxation technique concerned with making an individual imagine any serene setting such as a beach, forest, or garden to detract individual attention from thinking about pain and trigger a drop in the concentration of stress hormones in the body. 

You can practice visualization by closing your eyes and thinking about any mental scene or scenario that has a calm connotation for you. While doing so, try to engage your senses visualizing colors, sounds, and sensations in this environment to conjure an imagery that is as close to real. 

Movement-Based Interventions

Chronic pain acts to restrict movement, and therefore, these techniques utilize gentle physical activity to alleviate various types of chronic pain conditions like back pain, shoulder pain, or knee pain. This includes practices like yoga, tai chi, or stretching that help release muscle tension while improving the flow of blood. Yoga is foremost in these techniques that help to relax your body and nerves as well as strengthen your muscles, making them more flexible over time. 

Yoga triggers the release of endorphins that improve your mood and exert a moderating effect on pain. Don’t over-exert yourself by jumping head-first into rigorous poses like cat-cow, lotus pose, and triangle pose, and instead start with low-impact exercises such as seated stretches or guided yoga to build confidence. As per a study, a weekly yoga class was found to be helpful for people with chronic low back pain as compared to standard medical care. >

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

The core emphasis of ACT is to impel an individual to accept pain and not run away from it. It seeks to tap into personal values to instill a sense of acceptance for what lies beyond control such as the presence of chronic pain and eventually encourage them to adopt value-driven behaviors like spending time with loved ones or pursuing meaningful hobbies.  ACT aims to break down the inner resistance against pain by creating a values compass that guides an individual to embrace pain and make decisions and actions to mitigate its effects on daily life. 

Mind-Body Strategies for Chronic Pain Management 

These strategies derive from the understanding that there is a deep connection between our mental states and physical sensations.  The effects of chronic pain aren’t merely physical but it can also influence how our brain interprets signals of pain which eventually triggers a stress response that magnifies the perception of pain. Mind-body techniques aim to retrain how the brain processes these signals, thus reducing the intensity of pain. 

Get an opportunity to explore how these strategies work with Core Wellness’s upcoming interactive Live webinar on Chronic Pain by Christina Marsack-Topolewski which provides actionable insights for both clinicians and individuals to manage pain. 

As a leading authority on disabilities, caregiving, and aging, Christina Marsack-Topolewski boasts extensive expertise and wide-ranging clinical experiences to facilitate individuals with chronic pain and comorbid conditions. Explore her full range of courses here and dive deep into how integrating mind-body strategies can optimize health outcomes for your clients.

Conclusion 

Given its persistent nature, chronic pain can immensely disrupt the normal course of life for those affected. Chronic pain is debilitating and disruptive, but the good news is that it can be addressed with a holistic approach based on a communion of mind and body. In this regard, a synthesis of mind-body strategies has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional medical therapies that can greatly assist in pain management. Explore the wide possibilities offered by mind-body techniques with Core Wellness live and on-demand courses to understand these techniques in-depth and enhance your ability to manage chronic pain with confidence and compassion.