Mind-body pain management

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  Jan, 2005  by Jule Klotter

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Biofeedback teaches people to consciously alter bodily functions that are usually involuntarily controlled, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and brain activity. It can also help people reduce their perception of pain. An important part of biofeedback training involves teaching people to relax. Relaxation counteracts tension that feeds the pain cycle. The Chronic Pain Haven web site says, "Many clinicians believe that some of their patients and clients have forgotten how to relax. Feedback of physical responses such as skin temperature and muscle tension provides information to help patients recognize a relaxed state." Biofeedback is being used to ease the pain of many chronic or recurring conditions, such as migraine or tension headaches. It is also used to treat digestive disorders, high/low blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, Raynaud's disease, epilepsy, and movement disorders. Because biofeedback does not address the underlying causes of pain, responsible biofeedback therapists ask clients to have a thorough physical exam before teaching them to use the technique.

Biofeedback is not the only mind-body technique used to alleviate pain and stress. Woodson Merrell, MD, Executive Director of the Continuum Center for Health & Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center, says that other techniques such as imagery and hypnosis are also helpful. He believes that meditation, which disengages conscious thought and leads to deep relaxation, is "the most effective of all." Dr. Merrell also advocates the use of acupuncture, which he feels is underutilized. "Acupuncture forces the nervous system to relax," he said in an interview for the American Pain Foundation. "It raises endorphins and mitigates the pain." Nevertheless, Dr. Merrell believes that mind-body techniques "are the most powerful way to reduce stress in the long-term" because they can be used at any time or place for no cost.

The American Pain Foundation. Physician Looks to Safest, Gentlest, Most Effective Methods to Treat Pain and Stress: An Interview with Woodson Merrell, MD. April 2002. www.painfoundation.org

The Chronic Pain Haven. Biofeedback for chronic pain control. www.chronic-pain-haven.com

COPYRIGHT 2005 The Townsend Letter Group
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