Two recent studies, referenced in today’s LA Times, show that mindfulness meditation can ease pain. The reason for this is that pain consists of several components that include the sensations as well as our attitude toward those sensations. So, for example someone who is experiencing a headache will be experiencing a particular throbbing pain in one place in the head as well as thoughts like, “This pain seems like it will never end” or “This headache will make it impossible for me to perform well in my meeting” or “Another headache! I guess I’m incapable of handling any stress.”
By becoming mindful of the specific sensations and separating them from the extra pain that is added by fear, anxiety, self recrimination and other emotions and judgments, the overall experience of the pain is reduced.
For patients suffering from chronic pain, mindfulness meditation is an alternative to medications with unacceptable side effects that become less effective over time and could become addictive.
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