Article - The Brain-Daily mail

It makes me laugh how news people think you can erase basic pathology with mindfulness or neural plasticity training. I get that when there is no medical solution all there is to do is manage and calm the mind from constantly freaking out but as far as I know nerves are irritated for a pathological reason! But thanks for sharing and I should read the article before I write! Lol...

Thanks Wendy. We were told this also on our three week Pain Management Programme, that exercise and relaxation techniques can reprogramme the brain's perception of chronic pain. I'm undecided! Will read the article though.

Afternoon BendyWendy

I just love your tag.

I have been frantically trying to find a programme on the Airing Pain site.

That covered research on pain suffers directing thoughts to certain areas of the brain.

I seem to remember that they were hooked up to brain imaging and it involved focusing on a dot on a computer screen.

I was very encouraged by the findings.

I personally think that we are at the very beginning of understanding the brains response to pain. And I would love to get on a trail.

There is still much we don't know.

And there is a long way to go. But the journey has started and at least now it is more or less taken seriously.

I agree it does eat away at the soul may you and your spirit be enjoying sunshine.

As whippet and I are.

Let there be light.

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

Is this the article that you quoted?

I've just started the Mindfulness training meditation. I'm in week two and feeling benefit already. I'm learning to not go into the stated of tension and dispair that were making my pain worse. Occasionally I've managed to breathe into it and its gone away. The time that I start taking painkillers is slowly getting later. Its early days yet and hard work but I'd recommend this programme for anyone with chronic pain. I will post again on this subject as I progress through . I'm just using the book and the CD for the guided meditations.

Mindfulness training made me feel depressed.

How far did you get in the programme Boozybird ? I gather that some parts can bring up all sorts of hidden emotions,even make people cry but it ultimately make the emotional side of their pain much better. I just ant to try to help myself if I can. I dislike passively taking every medicine that my GP or Pain clinic nurse suggests. Its worth persisting with I believe

I found the regular Mindfulness very hard - the body scan thing was particularly tough as to focus on the many areas of my body that are hurting SO much ( understatement

Yes, deep meditation can stop the brain producing pain, hormones (in China women have meditation/hypnotherapy to rebalance their hormones). And if the drug companies were clever they would be exploring the power of the brain rather than making drugs that don't work. No reason why they can't set up and train Staff for meditation and hypnotherapy centres. They have the funds to do it.

Those who are dubious - have you ever been doing something that makes you happy and you suddenly notice you are not noticing your pain as much? You got into the flow (different brain waves functioning). A while back somebody on here said they enjoyed being with their grandchildren and they forgot their pain. That's rewiring the brain in a simple form. So this person had a couple of hours pain free because he enjoyed being with his grandchildren. Imagine what long term benefits he would have if he had hypnotherapy or meditation which reached the same areas of his brain? No drugs. The one single reason why alternative therapies are not being researched in the UK. The drug companies would loose billions. It really is that simple - if the brain can make pain, it can stop making pain.

Hello Zanna,I totally agree with your last post on meditation,but also after I did the Input course at St Thomas's in London,they work with a book called The Happiness Trap,ACT,acceptance and commitment therapy,by Russ Harris,lots of tools to work through,the power of the mind,our thoughts,feelings,sensations,yes it takes a bit of working at and am an no where near finding my way yet in the face of being in pain all the time now,but I am aware that the more I dwell,feel the wretched guilt of it the more intense the pitch is,I have managed to get on my scooter and go swimming,which takes a couple of notches off the pain scale,and the power of meeting people and just smiling even in pain,does add to life,so even if in desperate pain,do a little thing to make someone a little happier,a compliment,a phone call,or a hug can change our brains

Regards

Wendy