Medical specialists have shared a few beneficial breathing techniques to assist you to cope with chronic pain and relieve muscle tension, stress and anxiety. The variation in breathing that occurs when we’re in pain or gets remission from pain is unquestionable. We puff and then hold our breath when there’s an unexpected, intense pain. In this article, we will discuss how to control chronic pain using breathing exercises.
How to Control Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is sometimes extremely bone-breaking and frustrated. We let out a long sigh when a severe pain session ends. Though, if the pain delays, our breath rises and gets more superficial and we may even hyperventilate if the intensity feels intolerable.
Medical experts and yoga therapists assert by easy breathing practices, such as mindfully examining inhales and exhales and then slowly stretching the exhales, for lowering pain and discomfort in people in chronic pain. Given below are the simple breathing techniques to control chronic pain.
Breathing awareness
The easy method of observing your breath is an attentive method that enables you to cue into something outside of your physical pain. To practice breath awareness, also termed as beginner’s breath, start by paying attention to your breath. See how your body goes when you inhale and how it goes when you exhale. It is much more like meditation.
When your mind begins to roam, recognize what you’re thinking but take your focus back to the breath. Start with one minute and build up to 10 or 15 minutes if you have the time.
Elongated exhale
you might have heard “a sigh of relief” and “waiting to exhale” and there’s a reason we have these phrases. An exhale suggests we’re fine. You can practice your respiration to take yourself out of the sensory stimulation that may be making your pain response more serious. When you start to exhale, you transmit signals up to the brain that this must be a good time and you can decompress now.
Start with breath awareness and then concentrate on smoothly stretching your exhale without pushing it. As you do this, your breathing may become less superficial. If your chest feels uncomfortable or compressed, try exhaling into your back.
Visualization
Visualization can also help in expanding your exhale. Assume that a little mirror is in front of your mouth. On each exhalation, deem about trying to warm the mirror with your breath to form condensation. As you exhale, imagine breath mists rising in the coolness of the air.
Another choice is to imagine ocean tides coming in and out. Follow that wonderful rhythm with your inhales and exhales. Continue a visualization practice for two to five minutes and gently feel the enlargement of your body on the inhale and release of the breath on the exhale.
Paced slow deep breathing
Paced slow deep breathing is generally used in pain analysis and hospital perspectives. Breathe in for about five seconds and breathe out for five seconds. As you keep doing this slow pattern, it can bring your breath rate to about six breaths per minute, which may be about half of your normal breathing rate.
If you feel this painful, stop concentrating on the calculations. Our specialists suggest using breath awareness and elongated exhales to freely bring yourself into slow deep breathing rather than forcing it and fighting through it, which can result in an unintended stress response that’s counterproductive.
Alternate nostril breathing
The cadenced method of alternate nostril breathing, or Nadi shodhana pranayama, is exceptional practices that can be used as a weapon to assist pull you out of stress response.
Take your right hand to your nose. Kindly set your thumb to your right nostril and your ring finger to your left nostril. Close the right nostril with your thumb. Exhale out of the left nostril, pause momentarily, then inhale through the left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger and release the pressure of your thumb. Exhale through your right nostril. Pause, and then inhale through the right nostril. Close your right nostril with your thumb and release your ring finger. Repeat the sequence for 3 to 5 minutes, ending with an exhale out of your left nostril.
Bee breath
Bee Breath aka bhramari pranayama produces a calming sound that may assist you to decompress. Inhale, and then keep your mouth lightly closed on the exhale to support for a soothing humming or buzzing sound. If you’re pleased with the sound, proceed with three to five minutes. You can also try with various vowel sounds on the exhale.
Note that the most essential thing with any of these breathing exercises is to focus on how each makes you feel and what these practices have influences on your pain. Try to relax calmly for a few minutes after each exercise to perceive how you feel. Start slow and try until you find what works best for you.
