Meditation for chronic pain has been steadily gaining support in the research. No longer just the practice of a few isolated, New-Age yogis, meditation has spread across the U.S., and with good results. Recent research has shown that even just three 20-minute meditation sessions can help decrease the perception of pain. Other research from Brown University found that meditation changes the way the brain functions. Meditation can decrease the perception of pain. For patients with chronic pain that has no traceable cause, this can be of tremendous benefit.
11 meditation for chronic pain programs
Meditation for chronic pain is easy, side effect-free, and available to everyone without a prescription.
1. Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief
Some consider Jon Kabat-Zinn to be the godfather of mindfulness meditation. He adds to this impression by producing this recording of guided meditations for pain relief. In addition to guided meditations, Kabat-Zinn discusses the principles of mindfulness meditation and its benefits for pain relief. If you have no experience meditating and want to know more about it (instead of just diving in) this is a great place to start.
2. Headspace
Headspace is a meditation app that offers focused meditation for all kinds of conditions, including depression, stress, and anxiety. Over five million users have signed up to unlock the entire library of guided meditations. Their Take 10 program offers just ten minutes of daily meditation to reduce stress, cope with pain, sleep better, focus more, and otherwise improve both body and mind.
3. Meditainment
Looking for a one-off, 20-minute guided meditation for chronic pain that doesn’t require a sign-up? Meditainment offers just that. If you finish that one and are looking for more, there is an option to sign up for free to receive another 18 free, guided meditations.
4. Guided meditation for acute or chronic pain
Fragrant Heart offers a free guided meditation for acute or chronic pain, both with or without background music. This is not all that the site offers. You can also download free meditation courses and free meditations for stress, healing, and even children.
5. QuietMindCafe meditation for chronic pain
This meditation focuses on quiet visualizations of the parts of the body that are not only in pain but also pain-free. As commenters point out, this can be challenging for those who suffer from a whole-body