Chronic pain can prevent even a physically fit man from participating in his favorite sports, family plans or work. Are you a man who has chronic pain? Chronic pain is the long lasting pain that does not go away after an injury heals, or after a surgery. It is the aching back pain from lifting on the job, or the neck pain from staring at the computer screen. Headaches, bursitis and carpal tunnel syndrome can all be causes of chronic pain. This constant ache or stabbing pain can keep you awake at night and make you reach for pain relievers. Meditation and mindfulness can be used as a tool to ease your pain.
A study conducted at Wake Forest University scanned healthy volunteers while inflicting pain. After four days of learning mindfulness, the study showed “an approximately 40 percent reduction in pain intensity ratings during meditation when compared with non-meditation.”
Where to Find Help
Choosing meditation to help relieve your pain does not mean to go cold turkey on your prescriptions. Add meditation a little bit at a time to your current daily life and see if you get results. Several programs are available to use to lessen pain. Start by finding a pain meditation app, hunt online, or find a workbook that walks you through the meditation steps. Local classes that last for eight weeks not only help you through the steps, the leader and group members are there to support you. Don’t choose one exercise and quit if it doesn’t seem to help. There are many types to pick from until you find the right one.
Meditation for Pain Relief Examples
- Body Scan Meditation involves scanning your body to notice different sensations.
- Guided Imagery involves creating a peaceful scene or image to help in pain relief.
- Breath Awareness focuses on your breathing to help relieve pain.
