Can Meditation help with Managing Chronic Pain? If you’re living with a chronic pain condition, adding mindful meditation to your treatment plan can reduce pain intensity by as much as 40%. Through meditation, you can learn to acknowledge sensation without reaction or judgment and retrain your brain to better manage pain. Brain imaging shows decreased activity in key areas of the brain associated with pain, as well as the release of chemicals and neurotransmitters that improve sensations of well-being. Meditation also alleviates stress, which allows the body to release muscle tension that may be exacerbating a chronic pain condition. Exploring the ways in which meditation can benefit your pain condition may be your first step towards finding relief.
Coping With Stress is Crucial for Feeling Better
Stress plays a role in all aspects of physical, emotional and mental health. On a physiological level, stress contributes to inflammation throughout the body, which can have a damaging effect on organs over time. When you are chronically stressed, your heart rate and blood pressure rise, and your muscles tense in preparation to respond to a perceived attack. If you are already living with chronic pain, stress can exacerbate your discomfort, and further deplete your energy.
Furthermore, managing chronic pain itself can be stressful, and finding effective methods of coping with stress can improve your overall well-being. The stress-relieving benefits of meditation are well documented, and one of the most common reasons people choose to meditate. Reaching out for social support and spending time with loved ones can also help you feel less anxious and cope with pain, by increasing levels of the hormone oxytocin. You can help build stronger bonds with loved ones and further reduce stress by forming a ritual of meditating together with your family. When you can cope with stress, you’re likely to enjoy better sleep, improve your diet, exercise and socialize; all of which benefit your health.
Meditation Impacts the Brain’s Processing of Pain
Using MRIs, scientists have found that meditation can create an analgesic-like effect by activating the brain’s  orbito-frontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex.These areas of the brain are implicated in the brain’s cognitive evaluation and self-control over pain. Meditation also helps build more gray matter in the area of the brain called the insula, which is integral in the awareness of bodily sensation. Studies show that higher volumes of  insula gray matter correlate with higher pain tolerance. Mindful meditation also reduces activity in the thalamus, which is the part of the brain that acts as gatekeeper to determine which sensory information is processed at a higher level.
Meditation Influences Levels of Neurotransmitters Associated with Pain
Meditation has also been linked to increased levels of GABA , an inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces nerve signals to the brain, to calm nervous activity.  Gaba plays an important role in the perception of pain and management of anxiety. Increased levels of dopamine, serotonin and melatonin, all of which have a positive effect on mood, have also been linked with practicing  meditation. Melatonin is a crucial hormone for regulating sleep cycles, and improved sleep results in better physical health and less pain throughout the day.
Meditation aids in the process of neuroplasticity, rewiring your brain to better cope with pain. In addition to doctor prescribed therapies and medications, meditation can be a useful tool when you’re living with chronic pain. Take time to practice mindfulness, focus on breathing and achieve an inner sense of peace each day.
Learn about diseases and conditions and chronic pain symptoms on our conditions iPain Foundation condition pages.
By Chrissy Phillips
