Chronic Pain Opioid Requirements are Reduced with Meditation
Recently, an article was published showing that meditation can be used to help someone manage his or her chronic pain. This may allow someone to lower his or her required doses of opioid medication with the guidance of a trained medical professional. This represents a significant breakthrough because opioid medications and chronic pain represent some of the biggest problems facing the public health community today. There are millions of people who suffer from chronic pain, which causes people to miss work and school on an unprecedented level.
Opioid medications are often the first-line method of pain management; however, these medications have dangerous side effects. This is why medical professionals have been working hard to find an alternative. They might have just found one in meditation.
The Design of the Research Study
In a research study that was published in JAMA Internal Medicine, a well-respected peer-reviewed journal, a team of researchers conducted a meta-analysis. In this type of study, researchers review as many existing studies they can find, seeking to find an overarching theme or conclusion. The researchers reviewed about five dozen studies in total, including more than 6,000 patients. These individuals were all suffering from chronic pain. There were numerous reasons why these individuals were suffering from chronic pain, which ranged from auto accidents to slip and fall injuries and even congenital issues they had been suffering from since birth.
The researchers in these individual studies were testing various ways to control someone’s chronic pain. Some of the pain management methods studied included hypnosis, meditation, behavioral therapy, and other forms of mind-body intervention. The researchers then looked at the results, trying to see if anything might help these individuals with chronic pain.
The Results of the Research Study
The researchers found that mind-body exercises, such as meditation, can prove extremely effective in helping someone manage their chronic pain. The research participants were instructed to perform different pain management techniques, such as meditation, on a regular basis during the course of the research study. Then, the patients were instructed to rate their pain during regular intervals.
The research team found that not only did these mind-body interventions help someone reduce their pain, but it may also help someone reduce their required doses of opioid medications. The ability to help someone reduce their opioid requirement, with the guidance of a trained medical professional, is a significant breakthrough. These medications can be incredibly addictive, and helping someone who suffers from chronic pain avoid this risk is important.
Why Does Meditation Work?
While some patients might be surprised to hear that mind-body interventions, such as meditation, can help them control their pain, most medical professionals are not. Doctors say that stress levels can influence the production of hormones, such as cortisol, that increase inflammation throughout the body. This makes someone’s pain worse. Therefore, if measures can be taken to reduce someone’s levels of stress, this can reduce their physical pain as well.
This is where meditation can be helpful. Some doctors refer to this activity as weightlifting for the brain. This can change the way the brain perceives signals throughout the body, helping someone lower their stress levels and change their perception of pain. Like any other new activity, learning how to meditate properly takes time, effort, and training. Many individuals find it harder than swallowing an opioid pill. On the other hand, meditation does not have the dangerous side effects and addictive potential of opioid medications. For this reason, the results of this research study represent a major breakthrough in the world of pain management.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. Meditation can be used as a way to reduce someone’s doses of opioid medications in chronic pain management. If someone you know is struggling to manage his or her pain and discomfort due to the negligence of another person or entity, you can contact me by dialing (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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