I often cringe at comments on neuropathy articles I read. People who are truly suffering from the horrible chronic condition neuropathy is, who have seemed to have lost all hope. Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. "feeling of expectation" I get this... I have been there... (CIPN for five+ years now) Having a condition where you struggle with pain ALL the time... It is easy to lose any expectation, for any kind of, quality of life! However, I have found that the way to live with this condition is that you aim for a new quality of life.
An affirmation I posted this week from Arminda Meer has stuck with me. "I may not have an umbrella to block the rain... but it doesn't mean I'm not ready to weather the storm." This sums up my fight with nephropathy pretty well. As I have written about in Best Treatment for Neuropathy, there is not one end all, be all, cure for neuropathy pain. We all wish there was! Instead you must take an almost 360 degree approach having a true lifestyle change in many aspects. Today we are going to talk about a simple but vital thing to neuropathic pain, breathing.
To live is to breathe... It is mostly an automatic, unconscious experience. However, the next time you are under stress or having a neuropathic pain flare-up, try concentrating on your breathing. You may notice that when you are under stress or in pain, you tend to hold your breath or have quick and shallow breaths. This, while a natural effect, actually works to extend the bodies reaction to stress and/or pain.
Breathing exercises have been used for eons for relaxing the mind and body, and are common in yogic and meditation practices. When we breathe deeply and slowly, it sends a message to the brain to slow down, and begins a process to relax the body and mind. Now many at this point, think I am crazy, and this is "real pain" that I am not taking seriously. My response would be think about labor pains women must go through when giving birth. Rhythmic, patterned breathing is a well known labor pain technique!
Why does our body panic?
To understand the body’s relaxation response, we must look to two contradicting forces the body goes thorough – the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system elicits the “fight or flight (or freeze)” response. This is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived threat. Its purpose is to co-ordinate increased strength and speed in anticipation of fighting or running. Activation of the fight or flight response is characterized by faster heart and breathing rate, dry mouth, slowed digestion, muscle tension and sweating.
Your body interprets stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol that prepare the body to fight or escape. Trauma or stress can also cause freezing, where the body goes into a protective but paralyzing adaptive response. In today’s society, the sympathetic nervous system is often chronically over activated, resulting in anxiety, irritability and depression. This reaction will also often times cause and increased pain when the body seizes to release adrenaline and cortisol.
In contrast, the parasympathetic, or “rest and digest” response is active when the body is at rest, especially after eating, and including during sexual arousal, salivation, urination, digestion and defecation. This system conserves energy, slows the heart rate and increases gut motility. The relaxation response is a state of “safety” that dampens the physical and emotional responses to stress, resulting in reduced heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and relaxes muscles. It is during this phase when healing occurs.
It should be noted that this is just one way in which breathing could alter pain, and there are numerous other mechanisms that may result in reduced pain, such as cardiovascular responses, endogenous opioids or neurotransmitter release, and an analgesic effect of distraction due to focusing on breathing instead of painful symptoms. What we are talking about is also backed by scientific studies. Major studies in the last forty years have shown that deep and slow rhythmic breathing was shown to reduce may different types of pain and pain thresholds.
Breathing Exercises
The 4-6-8 technique: Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 6 seconds, and breathe out for 8 seconds. A longer exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Imagine that sigh of relief as you sit down after a long day.
Diaphragmatic breathing: helps you slow down your breathing when feeling stressed. Babies instinctively breathe this way, which is also used by yogis, musicians and singers. These exercises are best done for 5-15 minutes 3 to 4 times a day.
Lie down on your back with your knees slightly bent (may put a pillow under knees for support) and your head on a pillow, with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach (below your rib cage).
Feel the hand on your abdomen rise as you slowly fill your lungs with air, expanding your chest and feel the movement of your diaphragm.
Exhale using pursed lips (like you are going to whistle) as you tighten your stomach muscles, keeping your upper hand completely still.
Diaphragmatic breathing is often done during a meditation which is nothing more than the practice of thinking deeply or focusing the mind for a period of time. Check out the Insight Timer a website that has over 30 thousand free sound and guided meditations for you to practice your breathing. Try placing a book on your abdomen to make the exercise more difficult. Once you learn how to do belly breathing lying down you can increase the difficulty by trying it while sitting in a chair. You can then practice the technique while performing your daily activities.
Breath Focus Technique
You can choose a focus word that makes you smile, feel relaxed, or that is simply neutral to think about. Examples include peace, let go, or relax, but it can be any word that suits you to focus on and repeat through your practice. As you build up your breath focus practice you can start with a 10-minute session. Gradually increase the duration until your sessions are at least 20 minutes.
Sit or lie down in a comfortable place.
Bring your awareness to your breaths without trying to change how you’re breathing.
Alternate between normal and deep breaths a few times. Notice any differences between normal breathing and deep breathing. Notice how your abdomen expands with deep inhalations.
Note how shallow breathing feels compared to deep breathing.
Practice your deep breathing for a few minutes.
Place one hand below your belly button, keeping your belly relaxed, and notice how it rises with each inhale and falls with each exhale.
Let out a loud sigh with each exhale.
Begin the practice of breath focus by combining this deep breathing with imagery and a focus word or phrase that will support relaxation.
You can imagine that the air you inhale brings waves of peace and calm throughout your body. Mentally say, “Inhaling peace and calm.”
Imagine that the air you exhale washes away tension and anxiety. You can say to yourself, “Exhaling tension and anxiety.”
Extend Your Practice
Once you have your breathing mastered, you may want to check out yoga or tai chi... Check out MIDWEEK BUZZzz: Mind-Body Exercise for Neuropathy. Anyone can do these types of mind-body exercises, even from a seated position. Many sufferers have raved about the effects.
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