Venting the Pain

Is your pain burning, squeezing, stabbing, aching, or tingling? Is it dull or sharp? Is it constant or intermittent? Is it localized, diffuse, or traveling? If you have had longstanding pain, you may have used these words in an attempt to define your experience. We know that the simple word “pain” is grossly inadequate in describing the vastness and intensity of the pain experience. Recurrent or persistent pain is estimated to occur in nearly half the general population. It is important that you as a pain sufferer know the vocabulary of pain so you can understand the why and wherefore of your situation and communicate it accurately with your treatment providers.
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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.
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At least once a week I am asked some version of the following question: “My doctor says I have to learn to live with my pain. Does this mean I’m making it up?”

As reassuring as I would like to be, I cannot give a short or simple answer to this heartfelt question. A doctor’s advice to learn to live with the pain generally comes after many medication trials, physical therapy, various procedures, perhaps acupuncture, and even surgery, all of which have been unsuccessful in providing lasting pain relief. By the time a person in severe pain hears that nothing new can be tried and this is the best it can be, he or she is exhausted, discouraged, and anxious about the future. It is at this point that pain patients are referred to behavioral medicine specialists, psychotherapists who not only deal with the emotional aspects of living in pain but also teach specific pain management techniques. When they are finally referred to us, pain patients ask if the pain is all in their heads.
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