Perfect Breathing

We’ve written previously about the connection between the breath and pain management, but after yet more personal experience and new research findings, we though another pain-post was in order.

First the research: Earlier in the year, research conducted at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center uncovered some remarkable findings. They found that patients who practiced breathing-based mindfulness mediation were able to achieve pain reduction similar to the effects of morphine and other pain-killers. Specifically they were able to reduce pain intensity by 40% and perceived pain unpleasantness by 57% through the regular practice of these techniques.

How this is happening remains a mystery although brain scans reveal increased activity in the areas of the brain responsible for pain perception. Other research indicates that the secret to pain reduction may lie in the manipulation of alpha waves, which can be accomplished through the regular practice breath-based activities such as Mindfulness Meditation, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Yoga.

On a personal note, I recently had and excellent opportunity to put these techniques into practice when after a day of excruciating abdominal pain, I went to the emergency room to find that my appendix was bursting and needed to be removed. What was supposed to be a routine removal turned into a 5-day marathon of pain and unpleasantness – tubes down the throat, catheters, etc, etc.

When you have nothing to do except lie in a hospital bed, it becomes easy for your mind and emotions to start running wild (and not in a good way), especially when pain is involved. Fear, anxiety, and panic are usually the result.

The single most important weapon that I had to combat both the pain and emotional excursions was my breath. It provided a single point of focus that took my mind away from everything that I could not control and brought me into the moment with the things that I could control - my thoughts and emotions, my actions, my response to the situation. It provided me with a safe place to go to where I could relax and allow the bodies natural healing response to be activated.

The breath can be an invaluable asset and ally in our normal day-to-day living, but in extreme situations such as this it can be a real life-saver!