There are different types of pain, and two main categories are acute and chronic pain. Chronic pain is often learned and reinforced by different mental circuits than acute pain, and mindfulness methods can be applied to chronic pain.
Chronic pain is a significant issue for many people. Acute pain serves a definite purpose, like a fire alarm. But once any acute structural damage has passed, our brains can create circuits of chronic pain that involve different parts of the brain (learning and memory) and get reinforced over time. In the absence of a structural cause for chronic pain, which needs to be determined by a qualified health care professional, chronic pain has been approached with mindfulness techniques with some success, including mindfulness based stress reduction and pain reprocessing therapy (website disclaimer).
Similar techniques used in mindfulness and meditation can be applied to chronic pain. The mnemonic RAIN for mindfulness and meditation can be modified here as follows:
R- Recognize the pain
A- Assess the level of pain- for intense pain, avoidance techniques (i.e. whatever behavior helps minimize the pain) may be the best approach; for mild to moderate pain, mindfulness techniques can be tried
I- Investigate the pain- here is where you look at the pain, without judgment or intense focus, with lightness, and without fear, knowing you are safe- simply observe the pain, reinforce to yourself that the pain is not a danger signal, and that it is being generated by your brain differently than the danger signal of acute pain- do not focus intensely on the pain, simply observe it with an open mind and watch how the pain changes over time; do not have any preconceived notions as to potential outcomes- approach the pain with a clean slate, akin to a "beginner's mind," without a defined goal- just non-judgmentally observe, know you are safe, and approach the pain with lightness, without trying to fix it; you can also experiment with lighthearted/ pleasant visualizations - for example, if you were looking at back pain, imagine your back as the water and the pain as a school of fish - you simply observe and remind yourself you are safe
Somatic tracking is a technique used in pain reprocessing therapy:
When you notice pain, distress, or other negative thoughts, take two minutes (or more if you like):
1. Notice it with interest, maybe even with a little curiosity, but with no emotional reactivity. Almost like a hiker who reached the top of a ridge and is just looking at the landscape on the other side with interest. Pay attention to how the pain moves around or changes in quality but do so without emotion.
2. Accept it as happening right now but realize that this thought or body sensation is transient and caused by the brain. Say to yourself “It’s just a thought," "it's just a sensation," or "it's just neurons firing.”
3. Remind yourself that since these are just sensations, they are not in any way threatening to you. These sensations are not dangerous and cannot harm you.
4. Tell yourself “I don’t need to do anything about this right now because this is not harmful, and it will pass.”
5. Tell yourself: “I’m okay. I’ll be fine. There is actually nothing wrong with my [back/head/stomach/chest] because I am healthy and strong.” Or say “I am safe, and there is no danger from these nerve impulses. I am safe. I am not in danger.”
N- Navigate the process- this is a gradual, learned process that takes time and commitment; some people may have to start with looking at the pain for just one second then progress; understand it may be a long process to "unlearn" your pain, and understand there will be times of progress and there will be setbacks- similar to mindfulness and meditation, trust the process
Over time, with consistent, persistent practice, you can modify the circuits in your brain that generate the experience of chronic pain.
There are also guided meditations for pain
Just a few:
Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief
Heal Pain Naturally from within: A Guided Mindfulness Meditation
The Little Pain Relief Meditation
Potential readings:
Full Catastrophe Living, Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, Jon Kabat-Zinn
Living Well with Pain & Illness, Vidyamala Burch
The Way Out, A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain, Alan Gordon
Practicing Mindfulness, An Introduction to Meditation, The Great Courses, Mark W. Muesse, Lesson 21
