Distraction as Pain Relief: 10 Ways to Distract Yourself From Pain
Whenever my TMJ doctor does trigger point injections on me, one of his nurses will gently tap on my shoulder or head on the opposite side from where the injection is going.
It took me a couple of visits before I realized this was a distraction technique, and it works.
I’ve often relied on distraction as a pain management tool, but even more so in the last couple of years.
Blogging is just one way I distract myself from the pain. Although at times the fog is there and blogging isn’t an option, on days like that I might play a “random clicky game” on my phone.
Distraction is a Valid Pain Management Tool
I can’t say I was surprised when I read this 2012 study that showed that distraction is a valid pain management tool.
The real bottom line of the study was that placebos work, but that placebos combined with distraction work even better.
A large part of how medications work is based on our own expectations. Just like “recreational” drugs, we are likely to have the result we expect to have.
If we are told that something will help our pain, we are likely to believe it will help, and therefore feel some initial improvement based solely on using the medication.
One thing that’s important to note is that the participants in this study did not have chronic pain (at least as far as we can tell from the info provided in the study), pain was created through electrical current.
The study was repeated over a three-day period; pain was instigated through electrical current, and participants had a cream applied to their skin (they were either told it was analgesic, or non-analgesic).
Their results indicated that the placebo reduced pain (enough that people said they’d pay $20 for the cream), and the distraction task reduced pain; however, there was not an interaction between the task and the placebo (one didn’t impact the other).
Study shows that distraction does decrease pain. #chronicpain Share on X
Now that we know that distraction has been proven to reduce pain, here’s 10 great ways to distract yourself from pain.
10 ways to distract yourself from pain #spoonie #chronicpain Share on X10 Ways to Distract Yourself From Pain
1 . Focus on your breath – relax and take a deep breath. Continue to breath in and out slowly. Try to count to at least 10 on each breath in and each breath out. As you really focus on breathing it’s hard to focus on much else, and you will find that the exhales help you relax. Keep this up as long as you can.
2 . Imagine Pain Relief – Imagine that you just got a shot of some great pain reliever in the area where it hurts, focus on how that would feel, and the sensations that would come with it. How the area of your body would feel as the pain reliever takes hold. This acts almost as a mental placebo.
3. Focus on a different time – Think back to a time when you were not in pain, when you were enjoying life in such a way that even if you’d felt a twinge of pain you would not have noticed. Try to feel the feelings you had at that time, and really hold onto them.
4. Find Something Funny – Whether it’s a favorite old tv series (I suggest the Golden Girls) or the latest funny movie, find something that you can laugh at. They say that laughter is the best medicine and except for when you laugh so hard it hurts, it’s hard to think about the on-going pains when you are laughing.
Share a video that has made you laugh today. We can all use the distraction to help relieve pain. Share on X5. Shock yourself – no I don’t mean electro-shock therapy, I mean find the most shocking thing you can on the internet (or a scary movie) and watch it. Research has shown that looking at something rather bad or shocking can distract you from pain better than looking at more pleasant things. So, pull up a good scary movie, or watch that latest car crash video on youtube.
6. Listen to Music – When it comes to distracting myself with music, I find it very helpful to focus on building playlists and rating the music. If I’m thinking about what “bin” to fit that song into or whether or not it really deserves to be in my playlists at all, it takes a good amount of thought power, leaving little brain power to focus on the pain. Can Music Reduce Pain?
#Spoonie what's your favorite music for distracting yourself from pain? Share on XCheck out this Playlist for Fibro Flare Days
7. Play a game – When I’m in a really bad place I like random clicky games, but if my brain is working and I just don’t feel up to really focusing on something that matters, I’ll play some online poker or Tetris on the Switch. You might prefer an Xbox game that you can really get into, or some other sort of game to focus on. Just remember to avoid games that cause you to feel stress or tighten up your muscles.
#spoonie What online games do you play to distract yourself from pain? Share on X8. Spend time with friends – If you enjoy a good phone call then call up a long-distance friend you haven’t seen in a while (or another spoonie) and have a nice long chat. If you aren’t a phone person then make some time to visit with a friend, go to them or invite them to visit you. Spending time with a friend can help distract you in so many ways, just try to avoid getting into pain-focused conversations. Best bet is if you can visit with a friend and find a way to laugh!
9. Enjoy nature – Get outside if you can (or near a window if you can’t) and enjoy nature. Watch the birds, the squirrels, or the neighbors. That last one can be a really good distraction (but I won’t get started on that). It might even be worth installing a bird feeder just to bring more beauty to your hard (or patio), giving you something to focus on.
10. Make some friends online – Twitter, Facebook, and online forums can be a great distraction, just ask anyone who has ever stepped foot into any of them. You only meant to be there for 5 minutes and then it’s 3 hours later. Better yet (for me, anyway) is Youtube. The reason I rarely go on youtube is because it’s a trap and I can’t get out once I get in.
#Spoonie What do you to distract yourself from pain? Share on XRelated Posts:
- 10 Tips for Combating Pain in Winter
- Why PEMF Is My Go To Therapy for Chronic Pain
- Getting Past the Sadness & Isolation of Chronic Pain
- How Are You Coping With Your Chronic Pain?
References:
Buhle, J. T., Stevens, B. L., Friedman, J. J., & Wager, T. D. (2012). Distraction and placebo: Two separate routes to pain control. Psychological Science, 23(3), 246-253. doi:10.1177/0956797611427919
Julie says
I’m now into the latest craze, colouring books for adults. Got myself a pack of 72 colouring penonline and some lovely Zen pattern and shapes books. It’s all consuming and I can spend hours on it. Such a wonderful distraction for the ‘down times’. Who would have thought hey, colouring in at 55yo. Whatever it takes! 🙂
Julie says
I’ve talked to many Fibromites who are loving the new adult coloring books. Makes me wish my shoulder would allow me to partake!
Sheilamehaffey says
I wish i cd do somethg for that length of time as i cant bend my neck r spine for more than a few mins.Any tips?
Melissa says
Makes sense. Apollo Robbins has been involved with specials on the brain (I think on the Nat Geo channel). Pickpocketing works via distraction, often physical; tapping or touching someone in one place while taking the wallet or watch. The brain simply can’t process multiple inputs at once. It’s fascinating. This is his site. It’s worth watching specials on how the brain works. By the way, years ago i went to a therapist who’d tap my knee (not for creepy purposes) during part of therapy.
http://www.apollorobbins.com
Julie says
There’s so much we can learn about how our brain and bodies work that can help us. We just have to figure out how to apply it.
JunkMale says
I apologize for what will surely offend most decent people, but porn is the ONLY distraction which is intense enough to decrease my cervical stenosis headache pain below an 8. As a war vet, I can’t cope with combat video games as a means of intense distraction. The lesser of the two evils is no less evil, but I don’t know what else I can do to survive.
Sometimes no med will diminish the pain: not ????cσdσne, not ????cσcet, not ????adσl, not cσd????, not tylenσl #99, not Mιdrιη, nothing OTC, not any combination of herbs, flowers, bark, or roots. I don’t do street drμgs, and I can’t afford to go to the ER for a shot any given day, much less half of my days. I don’t drink, and I can’t drink in any case because of counter-indications with anti-depressants. I used to walk, swim, and ride my bicycle for diversion, but the head and neck aches cut short any exercise, instead of the endorphins from exercise reducing the head and neck pain. I don’t do acupuncture, acupressure, Hindu chanting, Zen meditation, yoga or other religious exercise, eastern mysticism and/or depersonalization, or anything which could facilitate demonic activity. “You shall not murder” forbids that I intentionally end my life, although my life has been over, for all intents and purposes, for nearly 40 years. All manner of Christian prayer and worship are equally of little or no effect, but I still go through the motions four times a week, out of desperation, if nothing else… begging for mercy that never comes.
Sheilamehaffey says
I fully understand that indestructable head and neck pain.Do u have pain in r behind eyes at all?
Julie says
Typically just on one side, but yes.
Patricia Atkisson says
I have been a photographer for years, and I find taking pictures gets my mind off my pain. Outside if I am feeling up to it, or sunset pictured, or bird pictured from my deck, or if its a stay in day, pictures of my kitty SweetPea. Then I put them on my PC or tablet and edit them, then share with friends on FB. It helps…..
Julie says
It’s great to keep those hobbies going, and it gives you a great way to interact with the world. Thank you for sharing!