A study has shown that meditation increases pain tolerance. Apparently, it’s not just because of meditation being distracting (when you’re paying attention to one thing, it fills up your mind buffer and you won’t feel pain as much), but reduces emotional response to pain.

In my hypnotherapy practice, I’ve worked with chronic pain sufferers. The first stage of hypnosis, relaxation, can reduce pain significantly. What to you do when you first feel pain? Tense up. When you relax, it’s a natural calming agent to the nerves.

In the next phase of a session, I’ll usually help them use visualization and imagery to change the perception of the pain somehow. Once you show them that they can reduce it, even a little, it gives them confidence and reassurance that they have some control over it.

When you’re in hypnosis, you’re in the same brain wave level as when you’ve in meditation. So it’s no surprise that even a short meditation exercise can also influence the perception and quality of pain.

For the full article, read Brief Meditation Training Brings Pain Relief.

Copyright 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
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