20 minutes of conscious breathing can reduce cancer pain
Research has shown that 20 minutes of mindfulness-based breathing, which focuses on breathing, can rapidly reduce the intensity and discomfort of cancer pain and ease associated anxiety.
Mindful breathing for cancer pain: efficacy of a single 20-minute session – a randomized controlled study | BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
Study finds 20 minutes of mindful breathing can rapidly reduce intensity of cancer pain
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-minutes-mindful-rapidly-intensity-cancer.html
Cancer pain occurs when tumors compress or invade surrounding tissues, or as a side effect of treatment, and it is estimated that 30 to 40% of cancer patients worldwide experience moderate to severe pain.
Seng Beng Tan and his colleagues from the University of Malaysia Sarawak said, 'Strategies to relieve pain using drugs such as morphine have evolved, but there are concerns about side effects and the risk of addiction using drugs,' and explained that there are also approaches to cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based treatment programs that do not rely on drugs. Therefore, Tan and his colleagues took an approach to reduce pain by controlling breathing.
Tan and his colleagues selected patients receiving treatment at a university medical center in Malaysia for their study, and divided 40 patients with moderate to severe pain into two groups. One group received breathing sessions under the guidance of a doctor trained in mindfulness, focusing on speed, rhythm, and pauses, encouraging them to consciously regulate their breathing over four consecutive five-minute sessions. The other group received no special treatment and was interviewed by a research assistant.
The group that underwent breathing exercises were told by the doctor, 'Please close your eyes gently and take a slow, deep breath. Focus on the air flowing through your nose. Inhale, exhale...' and, 'Relax your whole body all at once. As you breathe in, your body will calm down as you breathe in. As you breathe out, you will smile.' The session continued in a relaxed state.
After the session, patients self-reported their pain intensity and discomfort, and the results showed that those who performed the breathing exercises had significantly less pain intensity and discomfort compared to those in the non-breathing group.
Based on these results, Dr. Tan and his colleagues stated, 'Our findings suggest that brief interventions may be able to reduce pain intensity and unpleasantness, and ease anxiety, in cancer patients. Although further research is needed to synthesize these findings, this study may provide valuable insight into a feasible and accessible approach to help control pain during cancer treatment.'
'The study was relatively small and conducted at a single medical center, so it had limitations,' Tang and his colleagues said. 'The fact that all patients benefited and there were no adverse events confirms that 20 minutes of pain relief is feasible and safe. This breathing technique can be learned quickly and has beneficial effects.'
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