This way of looking at things assumes pain is a “messenger” warning of possible damage. But the latest science shows that, in fact, with chronic pain it is the messenger that’s the problem.
Chronic pain is the name for agony that lingers long after an injury has healed and it affects up to 15 per cent of the world’s population.
Imagine a fire alarm going off and telling you your kitchen is on fire. You put the flames out but the alarm continues to shriek. Even though the sound of the alarm continues to deafen you, there’s no fire. You don’t know whether to listen to the alarm or ignore it, all the while becoming sensitised to the noise.
This is what happens with chronic pain; the “fire” (injury) doesn’t need to exist to keep the alarm (pain) going.
Fortunately these mind techniques may offer some relief.
There are many examples of the use of imagery for pain reduction.
We all know how pain captures our attention, so does it follow that ignoring the pain will ease it? In meditation an approach called “focused attention” is similar to being distracted. It works by concentrating the mind on one thing to the exclusion of all others – including your pain.
Another method, “open presence”, involves the opposite and practitioners are encouraged to focus on nothing at all, only to observe what passes in front of the mind with a spirit of detachment.
A 2009 paper confirmed that meditation is a useful tool in decreasing pain. When the study compared meditators with non-meditators, the meditation group showed a 20 per cent higher pain tolerance.
This was true whether the meditators were meditating or not. The pain source in this instance was intense heat ranging from 43F to 53F, applied to the lower leg.
Many in the meditating group could tolerate the maximum temperature but none of the non-meditators was able to do so.
The “selective attention” technique involves choosing something on which to focus your mind, ignoring other stimuli in the process.
In whatever activity you choose, only focus on a single aspect of the total event as this commands attention and deselects the pain experience.
For instance, put on a piece of classical music and decide that you will follow only the cello part.
Alternatively, try something entirely new such as swing dancing or salsa classes, learning a video game or taking up piano lessons. This hobby must be entirely new to you.
Find a way to make the activity compelling, immerse yourself and allow your brain to generate enough power to negate your pain.
If you are learning a new skill your brain is changing in response to these new demands, an effect called neural plasticity.
In a 2009 study researchers explored how the expectation of pleasure can reduce pain. Two groups of rats were fed on a metal plate kept at room temperature.
One group was given regular food and the other group chocolate-covered biscuits. After conditioning the rats to the food, the researchers heated the plate to uncomfortable temperatures.
Rats used to eating chocolate biscuits were willing to stay on the hot plate twice as long as the other rats.
But when the chocolate-expecting rats were given a drug to block the production of endorphins (the body’s happy hormones), they were no longer willing to accept more heat.
There are many examples of the use of imagery for pain reduction. Imagery can be a strategy by itself or used with other techniques.
In a Seattle hospital a burn unit uses a video called “snow world” to help burn survivors deal with pain while their dressings are changed.
Viewing this video with scenes of snow, chill and cold has been shown to be very helpful in diminishing pain. And the effectiveness of this technique doesn’t weaken with repeated viewing.
Meanwhile, in some research conducted by my US-based neuromuscular institute, people unable to move their necks were shown a video of a dancer with a phenomenal range of neck motion.
After watching the dancer move her neck with complete freedom for four minutes, the subjects experienced a significant increase in their own range of motion.
Clearly what we watch causes our body to respond.
Where we direct our attention can be very powerful and can relieve pain. Just knowing how and where to direct attention makes all the difference.
Extracted from The Mystery Of Pain (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, £15.99). To order with free UK delivery, call 0871 988 8367 (10p/min from BT landlines) or send a cheque payable to The Express Bookshop to: PO Box 200, Falmouth, TR11 4WJ or order via expressbookshop.co.uk