Everyday pain management ideas

In pain? Try meditation By Anne Harding , Health.com April 5, 2011 5:53 p.m. EDT Meditation can help people cope with pain, anxiety and other physical and mental health problems. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Even a brief crash course in meditative techniques can reduce sensitivity to pain Meditation relieves pain by helping people control their perception of pain The type of meditation used in the study is known as Shamatha, or "focused attention" RELATED TOPICS Meditation and Mindfulness Pain Management Medical Treatments and Procedures Health and Fitness Cognitive Science Alternative Health Care ( Health.com ) -- You don't have to be a Buddhist monk to experience the health benefits of meditation. According to a new study, even a brief crash course in meditative techniques can sharply reduce a person's sensitivity to pain. In the study, researchers mi

Prevention News Chronic Pain Relief: Music Therapy And Pain Management More Music, Less Pain? Studies have shown that music is a powerful pain reliever. Here are some practical tips for putting it to use. By Holly C. Corbett   Lullabies may do more than soothe babies to sleep—they may also help ease pain in adults. A new study finds that participants who concentrate on melodies such as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" while receiving safe electric shocks cut pain levels by 17% overall. Moreover, actively listening to music is twice as effective at slashing pain levels for highly anxious types as compared to their less-anxious counterparts, according to the Journal of Pain . The key to using music to reduce pain is active listening. "We had people listen to specific childhood melodies that they knew well, such as 'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' and their task was to identify deviations in the songs, such as noting a jump in pitch or octave,&q

Tai Chi for Arthritis Relief   Gentle movements of the ancient Chinese exercise tai chi are one of many alternatives to help elderly people find pain relief. WebMD Feature Archive By Jeanie Lerche Davis WebMD Feature Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson Mathis, MD The movements of tai chi are gentle, graceful, mystical -- and, for elderly people, a very safe way to relieve arthritis pain and gain balance, strength, and flexibility. Tai chi is one of many alternative therapies that can provide relief from pain, possibly letting you cut back on pain medications . Early mornings in large and small cities in China - and increasingly in America's parks, hospitals, and community centers - people are practicing tai chi. It is an ancient tradition said to have developed in medieval China, to help restore health of monks in poor physical condition from too much meditation and too little exercise . Recommended Related

Pain can be characterized in many different ways, but one of the simplest ways to categorize pain is to break it into three basic types.  Below is a quick summary of the 3 basic types of pain and the main properties of each type of pain. Neuropathic pain is usually caused by damage or injury to the nervous system, and probably responsible for a lot of chronic pain conditions.  This type of pain does not usually respond well to  the drugs we commonly think of as pain medications, such as Tylenol, Aspirin, Ibuprofen or Opioid medications.  This kind of pain can be the result of injury, such as an accident, or health conditions such as shingles. It can also be a result of cancer or cancer chemotherapy.  Somatic (nocioceptive) pain is pain experienced following surgery, broken bones,  toothaches, etc.  It is the localized assault to body tissues that causes the pain sensation.  This kind of pain usually resolves as healing progresses.  It is also more likely to respond to traditional p

How to cope with chronic pain from a child's point of view! Milayzia plays 'Monster on the Move," a board game designed to help younger children with chronic pain develop coping skills that improve their ability to function and resume more normal activities. Click image to see the video...

The use of hypnosis in the treatment of chronic pain has a long and well studied history.  While not intended for use as a stand alone treatment, when used in conjunction with other pain control methods it has offered a " moderate to large hypnoanalgesic effect, supporting the efficacy of hypnotic techniques for pain management. " according to a large meta-study analysis conducted by Guy Montgomery, Ph. D., of New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine ( Int J Clin Exp Hypn 2000;48:138-153).  Regarding the study, a May 2009 article in Pain Medicine News study,Dr. Montgomery says: " Part of the appeal of hypnosis, is that it can be performed on most patients in a relatively short period of time (usually over four to 10 sessions) and has virtually no side effects. Additionally, skills learned by the patient through hypnosis can be used to cope with other issues that may accompany chronic pain, such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and distress.&quo

Another idea to help you to along the pain management journey is that of a support group.  Many hospital systems offer support groups for specific disease states, such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, cancer, spinal cord injury, and the like.  You can find this kind of support group by looking online or by calling the hospital/health system or other appropriate agency in your locale, such as the Arthritis Foundation.  In addition to this, some psychologists or social workers may offer support groups.  Lastly, since the advent of the internet and social media, you may also find online support groups that serve your purposes as well.  Support groups serve a dual role..in belonging to one, you have access to support and resources from others in the group.  They may have ideas that will help you when you are faced with a problem you don't know quite how to solve.  The second role of the support group is for you to be supportive to other members of the group when they are faced with challe