Management of chronic pain without medication

PLEASE NOTE: Pain is the body’s signal that something is wrong, being overused, or out of balance. If there is redness and swelling present and the sore area is warmer than the surrounding area, GO TO A DOCTOR! You may have an infection or blood clot that requires immediate attention. DO NOT stop or change any prescription medication without first consulting a doctor.

For anyone who wants to explore what they can do to manage ongoing chronic pain without the use of medications, debilitating side effects, or the risk of addiction, here are the five steps to natural pain management using the power of the mind.

The first step is to dispel your biggest obstacle: fear.

Put simply, fear = anxiety = inflammation = pain = more fear = more anxiety, and so on.

It is important that your doctor has accurately diagnosed the cause of your pain, otherwise your mind will wander with “what if?” play… as in “what if I have this or that disease?”, “what if the pain gets worse?”, or “what if the pain never goes away?”. Thinking about the pain only makes it worse, and “trying” not to think about the pain is like trying not to think about a pink elephant.

Your doctor will have theories about the cause of your pain and will run tests, and until test results are available, you are likely to be left wondering and worrying about your health and well-being, especially if you are disabled. Even if the cause of your pain is undetermined, there is still much that can be done about your relationship to pain, as long as you are under medical supervision.

Fear inhibits two important skills in chronic pain management: concentration and relaxation.

The opposite of fear is… love. Treating your body like the enemy will only make things worse. So love your body! It’s the only one you have, so it makes sense to work with it rather than fight it. Pain is a signal to get your attention. Ignoring the pain will not make it go away.

The second step of natural pain management is to develop confidence and belief in the virtuosity of your body and its ability to control pain, using the pharmacy of the brain.

Realize that your body produces its own pain-relieving compound, chemically similar to morphine, called endorphin. (This is why morphine and its derivatives are so addictive, the brain already has these morphine-like receptor sites present.)

Endorphins are deployed in a specific place, in the exact dose, at the exact time, without harmful side effects to health, in order to preserve the other vital systems and functions of the body. Have you ever noticed a bruise on yourself and can’t remember how it happened?

It is also important to know that people have miraculously recovered from the most terrible diseases, even when they are on the verge of death.

The third step is to focus only on what you are experiencing through your senses in the present moment. Remember that the experience of pain is threefold: the pain you remember from yesterday, the pain you have now, and the pain you anticipate in the future. Choosing a quiet, relaxing environment at a comfortable temperature with full-body support can make this process easier and more enjoyable.

In a safe and relaxing environment, close your eyes and focus inward, concentrating on slow, rhythmic abdominal breathing using your diaphragm muscles. Pay close attention to slowly expel all the air from your lungs by gently tensing your abdomen and then releasing it. This is how you breathe when you are sleeping; activates your relaxation response, and deep relaxation is an integral part of successful pain management. Make your exhalations last as long as possible… and in a relatively short time, you will have reduced your pain by 2/3!

The fourth step, once you’ve settled in, is to use your mind to do progressive relaxation, starting from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Give yourself at least an hour to accomplish this.

By progressive relaxation, I don’t mean tensing and relaxing your muscles, as this can lead to muscle tension and you may not be able to move certain parts of your body that are sore.

Focus first on simply relaxing your eyelid muscles until they get heavy, then methodically relax your forehead, scalp, facial muscles, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, torso, and then work your way up. to the feet, mentally relaxing each one. muscle group as you go. You should feel warmth or tingling in your hands and feet as the blood vessels begin to dilate, lowering your blood pressure. You may also feel your limbs getting heavier, or you may feel your body float, or both!

Take your time and be as detailed as possible. Notice and amplify any feelings of relief or comfort that you feel in other parts of your body not affected by your pain. This is the way to train the body to reduce inflammation, stimulate healing circulation and is the natural method to relieve migraines.

The fifth step is complete pain relief through the dissociation process. (This form of intentional dissociation through self-hypnosis is a controlled process, not a mental disorder.)

Some people are better at dissociation, out-of-body travel, and deep trance states than others, such as the creative arts; however, anyone can master this technique. If you fall asleep at this point, no problem, you probably need it.

With your inner vision, recall your most vivid memories of a relaxing place you visited, imagine being there again, and make that your pain-free place. Beautiful outdoor scenes work well, but any serene setting will do. The key here is to realize that you are moving away from the pain and not the other way around.

The more absorbed you can become in your imagination, the more unaware you become of your symptom. Using a background soundtrack of the ocean, river, or rain, or a personalized self-hypnosis MP3 recording can help you stay focused for longer periods of time.

With enough daily practice, at this level you can completely numb any part of your body for long periods of time and even undergo surgery without the use of anesthesia or, coupled with proper physical conditioning, you can mentally disengage from labor contractions. for a drug. free and natural work.

The trance state is the healing state; it is not an intellectual process of acquiring more information about your symptom(s) or filling your time with distractions. If you want to experience pain relief, then the key is to learn to focus on amplifying the relief, not the pain!