Meditation for chronic pain: What works for you?

Hi @skier, Great pic. I hope you'll upload it to your profile picture. Interesting that you didn't chooser @cyclist as your username. Do you or did you also ski?

There are several members, like @cedarfirefly @artscaping @gman007 @lioness @lucie2 @mtbox2 @kelseylmontague who talked about their success with meditation related to chronic pain in this past discussion:
- Do you meditate? And does it help? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/do-you-meditate-and-does-it-help/

@kelseylmontague and @rwinney, I'd be interested in what you learned about meditation or mindfulness at the Pain Rehab program.

Jamie also suggested the app Breathe. I don't use meditation specifically for pain management, but I do listen to guided meditation to slow down for a break during the day and to help me sleep. I like the short (free) mindfulness meditations that are included with my Fitbit and use a 2, 5 or 10 minute meditation during the day to help me take a breath before changing gears to a different task or whatever. For sleeping, I listen to podcasts. Skier, have you searched podcasts for meditations specifically about reducing pain?

Hi Colleen, thanks, yep, also ski (new pix below) for some 40 years, but can't any more, because lower back issues have destroyed my balance that's much needed to ski, just bike and swim now.

I did see the "Do you Meditate"post and responses, but wondering why little continued responses since the 2018 posts about meditation's impact on lower back chronic pain. It's one of my last resorts to relive pain. Hope to get accepted for the Mayo's PRP.

I will look at other meditation apps. to help relieve my chronic pain. Anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Fitbit Sense watch. They are on sale now for $250. Sounds like a good deal.

stay in touch,

skier and bike advocate

There are really good meditations on u tube and for chronic pain have you ever tried Tapping on your meridians ? If you haven't look up Tapping solutions. com. There's a good explanation on there .Tapping is like acupressure Donna Egan.com is another good site

Good afternoon @skier. You are asking about a practice that becomes a useful tool because it changes the thoughts that you permit to control your mind. We call it mindful meditation or compassionate mindfulness. It is not a 3 session Zoom meeting. My meditation group meets every Thursday and has done so for five years. Our practice begins with "awareness". At first, we learn to have loving-kindness for ourselves, and acceptance of our bodies as they are. That might begin a journey during which our pain is given an identifier and we chat with it when needed.

Does this practice rid you of your pain? As yet, there is no cure for Neuropathy. There are programs and medications that help mitigate the pain we survive every day. I am hanging on tightly to my mindfulness meditation practice. When needed, it doesn't let me down. I just have to be loyal.

May you be safe and protected from inner and outer harm.
Chris

Hi Chris, appreciate your comments on practicing mindful mediation to relieve chronic pain. Currently, I've been really interested in listening to the Healthymindsprogram.com app. I've also listened to all of the Headspace app ( chronic pain relief sessions). After 6 months of diving into mindful meditation guided sessions, I've seen no pain relief, but will continue. Hope to get accepted in Mayo's PRP. Just started the process. Not sure what my chances are.

thanks again,

Roger Landers (skier)

I checked out your healthy mind program app. I am sorry that you haven't made the progress you expected. Remember, you have to do the work.......the programs just lead the way.
The final steps in the chronic pain relief sessions......are able to benefit from the guided sessions?
Chris