Can mindfulness meditation help people with chronic pain?

Mindfulness meditation is another practice that folks with chronic pain hear about a lot, from friends, strangers, and doctors. If your healthcare provider has suggested mindfulness as an approach to coping with chronic pain, it may seem like a dismissal. However, there is tons of research to support that mindfulness can benefit folks with persistent pain.

This article will break down what mindfulness meditation is, how people with chronic pain benefit from mindfulness, and how you can use it in your daily life. 

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness has been a hot topic for folks interested in mental health and wellness. But, what is it? 

Mindfulness meditation is described as the practice of paying attention on purpose. It specifically uses a non-judgemental, curious, and kind perception of the present moment. This practice has been used as a coping strategy for many conditions, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, and acute and chronic pain. 

An example of how someone may use mindfulness meditation is as follows: 

Debra practices mindfulness while she walks to work. She pays attention to her environment as she walks, focusing on the trees and how the sidewalk feels under her feet. She notices it is busier than usual. Instead of worrying about whether she will get to work on time, she smiles at folks who pass her, non-judgmentally. She is curious about where they are headed. When waiting at crosswalks, she counts her breaths. She arrives at work feeling relaxed and present, rather than stressed and rushed. 

There are different techniques used in mindfulness meditation. For example, focused attention and choiceless awareness.

Focused attention is paying attention to the present moment, ignoring distractions. It often involves paying attention to a specific event, like breaths or the way something feels.

Choiceless awareness is a general monitoring of the present moment without reaction or judgment. For instance, Debra noticing that it is busier than usual but not judging that experience as stressful is choiceless awareness. 

How is Mindfulness Meditation used for folks with Chronic Pain?

Practitioners and patients alike celebrate mindfulness meditation for managing chronic pain. It is recommended as a tool to self-manage pain and pain-related distress. On top of medical regimens for chronic pain, mindfulness serves as an accessible, free, non-pharmacological pain management strategy. 

The gold standard of practice for mindfulness meditation is mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (MBSR). MBSR is an 8-week intensive mindfulness program administered by trained therapists. Pain intensity and other pain-related distress (e.g., fear of pain, stress, depression) declined post-treatment in several studies. 

However, MBSR is time consuming, expensive, and not accessible to many pain patients. But, don’t get discouraged! MSBR is not the only option for mindfulness meditation.

Other mindfulness based therapies are effective, too. Some studies have found similar benefits from brief mindfulness interventions of less than 30 minutes. These programs teach mindfulness concepts quickly, allowing the patient to practice it on their own time. In these scenarios, the benefits come from practicing mindfulness regularly after the technique is learned. 

You can learn mindfulness on your own, too. Luckily, there are many free resources online that can teach you the basics. YouTube offers some excellent videos, as well as guided meditations. We also offer free mindfulness meditation videos on our site. Check out our meditations here.  

You can practice mindfulness anywhere, anytime, once you learn the basics! The next section describes what researchers have found to be the outcomes of mindfulness meditation for chronic pain. 

How does mindfulness help with chronic pain?

There is so much research exploring the benefits of mindfulness meditation for folks living with chronic pain. Most research has found that practicing mindfulness meditation shows improvements in ability to cope with pain and regulate emotions. Some studies have shown that pain intensity may decrease as well.

Mindfulness-based therapies have shown improvements for several chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, and irritable bowel syndrome. However, it has also shown improvements for acute pain. One study experimentally induced pain in healthy individuals. They found that participants reported 40% less pain intensity after four sessions of a mindfulness intervention. 

Overall, most studies point to improved psychological factors that relate to pain. In one qualitative study, patients were interviewed after a mindfulness-based therapy program. They reported similar themes of feeling better equipped to live better with their pain. Additionally, they mentioned topics like listening to their body, accepting their pain, being more self-compassionate, and feeling empowered to manage their pain. 

The psychological benefits may come from changes that happen neurologically with mindfulness practice. One study found that practicing mindfulness regularly positively affected parts of the brain that control emotions and emotional regulation. In particular, it improved automatic emotional regulation. 

If this is sounding good to you, the next section discusses how you can make mindfulness part of your day. 

Practicing Mindfulness Meditation Daily

Mindfulness meditation improves with practice. The best way to ensure you’re exercising your mindfulness muscles is to practice regularly. For example, you may aim for 15 minutes of mindfulness each day. 

In fact, there are many opportunities for mindfulness throughout your day. Pair mindfulness with an activity you already do regularly. Below is a list of activities that compliment mindfulness: 

• Walking or driving 
• Cooking or eating 
• Waking up 
• Morning or night routine 
• Doing art
• Exercise 
• Self care or hygiene activities 

Returning to the example of Debra, she practices mindfulness on her walk to work every day. However, she could also do it while she eats breakfast or on her breaks. For you, choose a time when you have a moment to yourself, when you can relax and observe. 

Conclusion

Mindfulness meditation is a popular self-management tool for folks with chronic pain. Patients and doctors alike rave about it. Research supports its many benefits. It is a tool that can be easily incorporated into any routine, any time, anywhere.

References

Jinich-Diamant, A., Garland, E., Baumgartner, J., et al. (2020). Neurophysiological Mechanisms Supporting Mindfulness Meditation-Based Pain Relief: An Updated Review. Current Pain and Headache Reports: 56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-020-00890-8 

Kral, T.R., Schuyler, B.S., Mumford, J.A., et al. (2018). Impact of short- and long-term mindfulness meditation training on amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli. Neuroimage 181: 301-313. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.07.013

Marikar Bawa, F.L., Sutton, J.W., Mercer, S.W., et al. (2021). “I’m empowered to look after myself” – Mindfulness as a way to manage chronic pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of participant experiences in Scotland. Social Science & Medicine, 281. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114073

McClintock, A.S., McCarrick, S.M., Garland, E.L., et al. (2019). Brief Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Acute and Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 25 (3): 265-278. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089%2Facm.2018.0351 

Rusch, H.L., Rosario, M., Levison, L.M., et al. (2019). The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta=analysis of randomized control trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 1445(1): 5-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13996