Meditation for pain managment

[z00se]

Ok so getting my molars taken out, just got over a huge mouth infection and been on heaps of codene constantly for nearly a week. I can feel the heat in my liver, and the iburafen stuffing up my guts. The pain was super intense and the whole side of my face and neck was swollen. Better now but after i get these teeth taken out it's gunna kill again and i'm gunna be back in the same place.

 

Meditations i've tried are trying to escape duality, it's good because you can do it while your doing every day stuff but for me the pain seems only slightly reduced as my body seems 'over there' and the pain is not mine.... but it still hurts! And while it hurts this meditation is very hard!

 

Inner smile, trying to love myself up but the increased energy around my sore area increases the pain there.

 

Blue/earth energy around the sore area, calms it a bit but still freakin sore.

 

I've heard of people using meditation or even hypnosis to undergo surgery without anasthetic! Maybe it requires more practice in that area but i've got a few weeks before i'm going to have the operation so if i can get some techniques in that time maybe i won't need too much of the oxycodine they will give me and i will feel better for it.

 

Any help appreciated!

[Aaron]

Ok so getting my molars taken out, just got over a huge mouth infection and been on heaps of codene constantly for nearly a week. I can feel the heat in my liver, and the iburafen stuffing up my guts. The pain was super intense and the whole side of my face and neck was swollen. Better now but after i get these teeth taken out it's gunna kill again and i'm gunna be back in the same place.

 

Meditations i've tried are trying to escape duality, it's good because you can do it while your doing every day stuff but for me the pain seems only slightly reduced as my body seems 'over there' and the pain is not mine.... but it still hurts! And while it hurts this meditation is very hard!

 

Inner smile, trying to love myself up but the increased energy around my sore area increases the pain there.

 

Blue/earth energy around the sore area, calms it a bit but still freakin sore.

 

I've heard of people using meditation or even hypnosis to undergo surgery without anasthetic! Maybe it requires more practice in that area but i've got a few weeks before i'm going to have the operation so if i can get some techniques in that time maybe i won't need too much of the oxycodine they will give me and i will feel better for it.

 

Any help appreciated!

 

I just spent two weeks with a toothache and this is the method I used to deal with it, it has to do with self-hypnosis.

 

Find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. Breathe in very slowly til your lungs are full, once you feel them catch, breath out slowly. Continue doing this for a minute or so. Once you feel comfortable breathing slowly, begin to count back from 20, very slowly. Each time you count back you'll begin to feel a little bit more tired. By the time you reach one you'll feel completely relaxed.

 

Now imagine that your pain is a ball of dark shadow. Each time you breath in you will breath in bright light and each time you breath out you'll breath out dark shadow. With every breath in you breath in relaxation and peace, you'll feel your anxiety wash away, with every breath out you'll feel anxiety and pain leave you.

 

Keep doing this and while you do it think to yourself on each breath inward, "I am breathing in peace and relaxation." Every time you breath out, think to yourself, "I am breathing out pain and anxiety".

 

Continue to do this until you feel no more pain, then count from one to five. With each number you'll feel more awake, when you reach five you'll be fully awake.

 

Anyways, that's a very simplified description of the process. If you're really interested in an induction and you have access to a tape recorder I can help you out with one. You just need to record the induction and listen to it yourself.

 

Of course this is not medical advice and should not be considered medical advice. If your doctor has given you a course of treatment, then you should continue that treatment or seek the advice of another doctor, before choosing an alternative to that treatment. This is just a homeopathic method for dealing with pain that you can use while receiving treatment.

 

Aaron

 

 

 

[thelerner]

Meditating/hypnotizing pain away is not easy, if you don't have a knack for it, then it can be high level stuff.

 

Here is what a pretty cool Tao Bum wrote about dealing with pain.

 

"Otis:

 

I have a lot of experience with healing muscle and connective tissue in myself.

 

What I would do, is to make the injury into my moving meditation. Find a good, non-stressful posture (even lying down), relax, and then slowly, lovingly, activate the areas that hurt, through movement. Get the pain to be just hot enough to be intense, but not enough that my system shouts "no!" at me. Basically, I listen for the "no!" and back off, just a smidge, and make that my arena of play.

 

And I emphasize "play", because it is better, IME, to be guided not by technique or concepts, but by the actual parameters of the injury. Every injury is unique, and the body's signals are there, precisely to guide me toward self-healing.

 

Also, because that level of intense (but not freak-out) pain, can actually be a very joyful experience. If it is not, then I'd recommend slowing down, paying still more attention. If I'm tripping over my body's "no!" signals, then I'm not listening enough. The more I can utterly and joyfully "fall into" the sheer sensation of the pain with my awareness, the faster the injury heals.

 

Once I learned how joyful it can be to pay attention to injury, and how easy it is to heal myself, it totally changed my relationship to injury, risk, and fear. So, this (and all) injuries can be true gifts, if they reveal the body's joyful capacity to heal itself."

 

 

 

Personally I've dealt with some nasty pain in the past. I could mentally block it out for a day or two, then it seemed to overwhelm whatever reserves I had and only pain killers, and staying ahead of the pain with the pills would help.

 

I assume the molar pain will be a temporary situation. Try Otis method if you're fresh, if offers a chance to learn a useful skill, but if its not working for you, take the pills and stay ahead of the ache.

Edited April 22, 2012 by thelerner

[Gerard]

This reading might be of interest.

 

Good luck!

[z00se]

Thanks alot guys, will get practicing right away, see how i go...

[Aaron]

Meditating/hypnotizing pain away is not easy, if you don't have a knack for it, then it can be high level stuff.

 

Actually it's very very easy. There are only a small number of people that have problems with being able to enter a hypnotic state and those people tend to also be skeptics and lack trust. This is another common misconception about hypnosis and one of the reasons it's taken so long for the medical community to see it's practical use.

 

Today hypnosis is being used for pain management worldwide in cancer clinics, for surgery in lieu of anesthesia, and also for chronic pain. The bias towards hypnosis stems mostly from the idiots who go on stage and use it as a parlor trick. In fact there are several institutions and schools that teach hypnosis as a method for personal development as well.

 

Now if you're wondering why they aren't using it more often now, even though nearly all clinical evidence proves it's effective, ask yourself who benefits from keeping people in the dark? Well the pharmaceutical companies of course, who's going to buy tylenol if they know they can just sit and remove the pain equally well without taking any pills at all?

 

 

Aaron

Edited April 22, 2012 by Twinner

[goldisheavy]

Doing self-hypnosis or meditation for pain control is the holy grail. But when I was in extreme pain (I'm talking real extreme here, maximum pain) I would use a hypnosis tape. Just a generic tape with a generic hypnosis script read by a decent hypnotist. I think the script was oriented toward well-being. There was nothing special there. It would just relax my body and mind, then tell me I will feel good when I emerge from hypnosis and then guide me out of hypnosis. I remember my body relaxing so deeply with this tape that I couldn't feel my body at all. It's as if I had no body. It was amazing. This tape would put me so far out that while I was hypnotized my extreme maximum pain would vanish completely. I mean totally! It was like an impossible miracle. I mean, I believe in all kinds of far out stuff, and even I was amazed.

 

Then I also got a second script that was supposed to open my mind and being to a magickal ability. That script was also really really good. It was more complex. There were more sounds, more whispers and strange stuff going on. And that script also could control my pain, but not as effectively as a "dumb" generic relaxation and wellness script.

 

I loved both of them for different reasons. But it was a lazy way to do it. Because the non-lazy way is to make your own script. Well, I was in extreme pain and just wanted it gone. I didn't want to sit there developing a script, then narrating it to a voice recorder and all that rigamarole. Then when the pain left and my condition healed, I left all that business behind. I don't even know where my MP3 player is anymore.

Edited April 22, 2012 by goldisheavy

[forestofclarity]

This caught my eye--- trying to escape. Trying to escape builds a habit of trying to escape pain and discomfort. Pain and discomfort, I believe, are a part of life. Eventually, we all will have to deal with them.

 

I might suggest cultivating acceptance of the pain--- not by concentrating on it, but by allowing it to arise in a whole body sensation. Typically, I've found that my common reaction to pain is either to dwell on it or suppress it, both unhealthy options. Not only that, but these types of reactions can reinforce a picking and choosing type of mentality that carves up the universe into things we like and things we don't.

 

Rather, I've found that by focusing on the entire body, the pain can be dealt with a larger context. Expanding and accepting rather than contracting or suppressing. I've found this to be useful in my life and practice.

 

 

Meditations i've tried are trying to escape duality, it's good because you can do it while your doing every day stuff but for me the pain seems only slightly reduced as my body seems 'over there' and the pain is not mine.... but it still hurts! And while it hurts this meditation is very hard!

[Aaron]

Doing self-hypnosis or meditation for pain control is the holy grail. But when I was in extreme pain (I'm talking real extreme here, maximum pain) I would use a hypnosis tape. Just a generic tape with a generic hypnosis script read by a decent hypnotist. I think the script was oriented toward well-being. There was nothing special there. It would just relax my body and mind, then tell me I will feel good when I emerge from hypnosis and then guide me out of hypnosis. I remember my body relaxing so deeply with this tape that I couldn't feel my body at all. It's as if I had no body. It was amazing. This tape would put me so far out that while I was hypnotized my extreme maximum pain would vanish completely. I mean totally! It was like an impossible miracle. I mean, I believe in all kinds of far out stuff, and even I was amazed.

 

Then I also got a second script that was supposed to open my mind and being to a magickal ability. That script was also really really good. It was more complex. There were more sounds, more whispers and strange stuff going on. And that script also could control my pain, but not as effectively as a "dumb" generic relaxation and wellness script.

 

I loved both of them for different reasons. But it was a lazy way to do it. Because the non-lazy way is to make your own script. Well, I was in extreme pain and just wanted it gone. I didn't want to sit there developing a script, then narrating it to a voice recorder and all that rigamarole. Then when the pain left and my condition healed, I left all that business behind. I don't even know where my MP3 player is anymore.

 

It's too bad you left it behind, there is much more you can gain from it. It can really help with your meditation practice for instance. With continual practice you can practice self-hypnosis without even using a script, that's actually a convenient ability to have. A few years back I got in an accident and cut open an artery or major blood vessel near my eye brow. I was bleeding so much it was coming out in a steady stream. I used self-hypnosis to manage the pain and stay calm. My brother drove me to the nearest clinic in the area and I was lucky enough to find that the PA there was actually an emergency room physician from Russia. He said we didn't have time to take me to the hospital and sewed me up on the spot. It took thirteen stitches and he said the vessel/artery were shredded. He kept asking, "what were you hit with?" (It was actually a drill that was on full torque that slipped out of my hand and swung around and whacked me.)

 

I sometimes wonder how much worse it would've been if I hadn't been able to use self-hypnosis to calm myself and ease the pain. I'm sure the added anxiety would've caused me to bleed much worse, if nothing else. Anyways z00se, I hope you don't give up on the idea of self-hypnosis, it really does work.

 

Aaron

[thelerner]

I collect guided meditation and have a library of healing ones. I give them away and try to collect feedback(z00se I expect some from you). To some extent Twinner is right, its not necessarily advanced to get pain relief while listening at a session and perhaps a little longer. Unfortunately often the pain reoccurs. Hypnotic pain relief and healing meditations are excellent to use, but keep the pain killer handy too.

 

One exception is the back where I think pain often creates a feedback loop, stress causes tightness, tightness causes pain, pain causes stress. In this case the relaxation response can break the cycle.

 

From my experience where pain is direct nerve kinda thing like a toothache, the hypnotic 'trick' is harder long term. Most importantly be aware the power of focusing past pain has a dark side. Decades ago my mother saw a hypnotist for a bad pain in her side. She learned to focus past it, almost to the point of death. It was an misdiagnosed case of pancreatic disease that required surgery. The point is pain may be sending a message, listen and try to understand before we focus past it.

Edited April 23, 2012 by thelerner

[z00se]

From my experience where pain is direct nerve kinda thing like a toothache, the hypnotic 'trick' is harder long term. Most importantly be aware the power of focusing past pain has a dark side. Decades ago my mother saw a hypnotist for a bad pain in her side. She learned to focus past it, almost to the point of death. It was an misdiagnosed case of pancreatic disease that required surgery. The point is pain may be sending a message, listen and try to understand before we focus past it.

 

Good point worth noting.

 

The reason i became interested in meditation in the first place was after i listened to my parents weight loss self hypnosis cassette when i was about 12. It's a different kind of relaxed that energy work relaxation. It's more you feel yourself super heavy and numb. I can get kinda that feeling from the 6 healing sounds sometimes and do it while i'm awake. Thats the only downside to hypnosis i found, i had to close my eyes and lay there for 30 -40 mins or so, can't do it in normal life. And as soon as i stop that numbness is gone, i couldn't carry it on through, not that i tried.. hmmm i should try. The suggestions about weight loss (and i did listen to a smoking one too) did carry through though. I'm keen to try the pain one.

 

I recieved those guided meditations thanks Michael. I'll try have a go in my lunch break at work. Give me a week or 2 before i will get back to you with feedback!

 

Thanks alot for your help again everyone

[Aaron]

To some extent Twinner is right, its not necessarily advanced to get pain relief while listening at a session and perhaps a little longer. Unfortunately often the pain reoccurs.

 

Okay, from what I hear you saying, here's the difference, I actually practice hypnosis. I create induction techniques, lead guided meditations, do past life regressions, help friends quit smoking, and the list goes on. For me hypnosis is like qigong for others, it's a practice. Guided meditation (as it's practiced by most new age healer types) is a lot different from meditation, so comparing the two is like comparing stretching exercises with acrobatics. When you come in here with all this, "well there are better ways to deal with it" bullshit, it really pisses me off.

 

Lets check which practice they're actually using in the medical field these days, not only in outpatient, but cancer clinics, dental offices, physical training, and also surgery... is it qigong? Is it guided meditation? No, it's hypnosis! Hypnosis works if the person doing the induction knows what they're doing. You've obviously gotten some nice tapes that you enjoy, but if you need pain relief for the long term, you'll actually need to get an induction geared towards that. Quit steering someone clear of a useful practice simply because you don't know enough about it or aren't able to utilize it.

 

Aaron

 

 

 

 

[z00se]

Ok had 4 wisdom teeth out yesterday. I did awareness meditation going in on the bus and all the way into the surgery to keep calm. They left me waiting in a room and then in a bed for nearly one hour before they gave me the injection to put me to sleep. Hearing the sound of drills and grinding wheels slicing into peoples teeth and jaws was a little disruption to my calmness but i quickly got over it and the calm was back with me while the noise was there. While i was hooked up to the heart rate monitor and i had a bit of fun testing my ability to change my heart rate on demand. It was easy to change between 60-80bpm and back again but i didn't want to get higher than 80 incase they came back in and started on me at any moment, i wanted to keep calm. Then using self hypnosis i made my body totally numb and by they came in i was almost knocked out before they even gave me the KO needle. It was even hard to lift my hand up to put the glasses on when they told me to.

 

After i came out felt not too bad, the local anasthetic was still in effect, and i took the most of it to relax and keep the pain down they said the anasthetic would last about 1 hour more. Constant awareness meditation for the next 7 hours and trying to change my perception of the pain as just 'another' feeling kept it easily managable. Trying to make in into a nice feeling increased the energy there and also increased the pain. MCO also would have done that i'm sure so i just let my body decide by it's self where the energy should go and kept my awareness within and without balanced awareness on everything. I did some qi weight lifting to increase my energy and hopefully my healing. By the end of the 7 hours the swelling was down lots and it felt much better i was easily managing. I listened to my audio book and my concentration i felt slowed the healing a bit. But i was just getting sick of being in the trance and wanted to watch a movie so i had a few pain killers and it all became alot easier, stayed up and watched the movie. Had a bit too many and now the next day i feel bit sick. Should have just carried on and slept without them but oh well, it doesn't feel too bad today and i think tomorrow i might even be able to chew some soft stuff. Thats pretty quick considering they said it would take a week, and also the peak of the swelling was supposed to be 48-72 hrs but mine subsided in only 3-4hrs. No more pain killers for me thou those opiates suck.

 

So... my lesson i learnt is the best way to deal with pain is to catch it early on, not to let it get the better of you, keep it at bay from the start don't let it spiral out of control. Feel the pain but don't concentrate on it, just be aware of it at the same time as everyone else. It's a bit like wim hof what he does with the cold. His quote of 'it's like wine' at the start it doesn't taste nice but you try it a bit more and the feeling grows on you - It's not the feeling you begin to like, it's what else goes on around that feeling in your consiousness.

 

Thanks to everyone that replied and helped me out, as well as to Otis with his ideas.