Venting the Pain

It’s amazing how inconsistently many people breathe considering that if we don’t breathe at all we die. People in pain especially tend to hold their breath even though held breath diminishes blood flow thereby contributing to tense muscles and intensifying muscle spasms. Some people hold the breath “empty” after releasing air from the lungs, and some hold it “full.” What this means and why we hold the breath at all is a discussion for another article. Here we will focus on breathing awareness and some specific breathing techniques to reduce pain and promote general well being.

First and foremost, be aware of your breath. Set your wristwatch alarm to beep every hour to remind you to breathe. Notice how often you are holding your breath when the alarm sounds. And when you hear the alarm, take ten seconds to focus on your breathing no matter where you are or what you are doing. Use the time you spend waiting in traffic or standing in line at the supermarket to notice your breathing. The more frequently you focus your attention on your breathing, the more fully you will breathe even when you are not paying conscious attention to your breath.

One clue that you may be holding your breath is your voice. A voice that is not well supported by the breath is constricted, thin, and possibly screechy. If you run out of air before you finish a sentence, slow down and breathe while you talk. Ask your family and friends if they notice a change in your voice as you get better at breathing while talking. Another clue that you may be restricting your breathing is the placement of your shoulders. If you find your shoulders somewhere up around your ears, you are probably holding your breath. Again, while waiting at stoplights or in bank lines, practice breathing directly into your shoulders to release the tension and drop them down where they belong.

The techniques of “breathing into” specific body parts can be quite effective in relieving muscle tension that contributes to pain. Start with your hands. Close your eyes and imagine that you are breathing through your hands, as if your hands can actually exhale and inhale. As you do this, you will find your breathing becoming deeper and more regular, and your hands will warm up as blood flow increases through them. Once you have practiced with your hands, try various other body parts, starting with the ones in which there is no pain. Then practice sending the breath directly into and through the spots where you experience pain. If your knee is injured, breathe through it. As you do this, visualize the muscles and tendons releasing and becoming soft and loose. Visualize any inflammation cooling down as you send the breath directly through the painful spot.

Start all cleansing and relaxing breaths with an exhale. A big, gulping inhale can actually create tension in the body, especially if it is not fully exhaled back out. To ensure that your breath actually facilitates release, begin by exhaling fully and allowing your lungs to fill naturally without forcing the inhale. To practice this, start by exhaling all the air from your lungs through pursed lips, making an audible blowing sound. When you have exhaled as much as you possibly can, just relax. Your lungs will accomplish the inhale on their own without any effort on your part. Try this exercise four times in succession, exhaling audibly through pursed lips and relaxing to allow the inhale to occur naturally. You will notice a rolling breath sensation as your lungs fill from the bottom to the top. When you have done this exercise four times, close your eyes and observe how much more deeply and evenly you are breathing. You will probably also noticed that you feel more relaxed.

Try a breathing meditation to calm the mind as well as relax the body. Find a comfortable position and close your eyes. In your mind, count your exhaled breaths on a cycle of three: first exhale, count 1; second exhale, count 2; third exhale, count 3; next exhale, count 1, and so on. Just focus on the breath and the counting. At first your breath may be forced or stilted, but as you continue, your breathing will become rhythmic and fluid. Notice the physical sensation of your breath as it flows through your nose or mouth. If thoughts intrude or you wander off mentally, gently bring yourself back to count 1 without judgment or criticism. Practice this simple breathing meditation for five to ten minutes two or three times a day and see what happens.

Michele Gargan, PsyD