How to Use the Mind-Body Connection to Help Manage Pain

You know what pain is when you feel it, but it can be surprisingly hard to define. Pain can throb, stab, ache, sting, prick or burn. It can be severe or mild; constant or come in waves. It can go away or linger — if it lasts more than three months, it’s considered chronic pain.

One thing is for sure: Whether it’s from cancer or a low back injury, chronic pain can profoundly affect your day-to-day life and leave you desperate for relief. It turns out, one of the most effective ways to alleviate and live with pain is using the mind-body connection.  

What is the brain’s role in pain?

Pain is incredibly complex and subjective — the same person might experience pain from the same cause in completely different ways based on their body, their nervous system, their mental health and even their sleep habits.

“Pain is often thought of as a uniform symptom,” says Yian Chen, MD, an anesthesiologist at the Center for Pain Relief at UW Medical Center – Roosevelt and an associate professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine. “But pain is caused by a complex web of factors.”

One of those factors is your mind — pain is not just something you experience in your body, but also in your brain. You might twist your ankle, but you won’t actually feel pain until your brain processes the signals sent to it from your nerves, and then tells your body how to react. For example, your brain might tell your body to release hormones like adrenaline, which is why you might not feel that sprained ankle until later.  

That’s also how chronic pain, which affects 20% to 34% of the world’s population, can exist past the point of being helpful or even appear when there is no clear physical cause. 

“The brain plays a big role in our processing of pain,” says Mary Curran, MSW, a therapist and researcher in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the UW School of Medicine. “And the experience of pain is influenced by how we think, feel and behave. That doesn’t mean that pain isn’t real — all pain is real.”  

Because of its complexity, chronic pain can be extremely difficult for doctors to treat — in fact, Chen was a co-author on a review article that looked at how challenging it was to find effective therapies for chronic pain. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do. 

“The pain is the pain, but we can influence whether we amplify the pain or turn the volume down,” says Curran.

How to use the mind-body connection to help manage pain

Managing pain requires a toolbox of different strategies for different people and situations. While opioids can be very helpful at alleviating acute pain, for example, Yang’s review found they’re much less effective for chronic pain. They also come with side effects, like drowsiness and nausea, that are difficult to manage long-term.  

On the other hand, research has found that harnessing the mind-body connection with strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness can have a significant effect on chronic pain. 

“If practiced regularly, mind-body strategies can have helpful side effects, too, such as better sleep, less fatigue and improved mood,” says Dawn Ehde, PhD, a psychologist and professor in the UW School of Medicine’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.

What are some ways you can try using the mind-body connection to manage pain?

Interrupt negative thoughts  

If you’ve been dealing with pain, it’s likely put you in a pretty bad headspace. You might be anxious and hyperaware of your body, hoping to not feel that painful sensation. You might be angry at your body for sabotaging you and undermining your ability to live the life you want to live.  

While, again, your pain is very real, finding ways to move out of those negative thought patterns can help you manage it better.  

“You’re trying to rebuild a relationship with your body and mind again that is positive and compassionate, that’s patient and gentle,” says Joel Jin, PhD, a clinical psychologist and acting assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UW School of Medicine, who works with patients with chronic pain. “Many people with chronic pain put pressure on themselves because they want to get better, but a lot of pressure and a lot of criticism towards themselves can have negative effects.”

In fact, being depressed, anxious and stressed can itself amplify your pain. So if you’re thinking a thought like, “I’m never going to be able to enjoy my life again,” try to interrupt it with a more helpful mantra.

“Is there a thought that's believable, reassuring and true for you?” says Curran. Some of her favorites are:  

• I've had this come up before and I know I've been able to manage it.
• This won't last forever.  
• This is hard and I can get through it.

Find healthy ways to express and manage your emotions  

Another tip: Try to be aware of the emotions related to stress in your life and find ways to express them in a healthy way. Research has found that opening up to emotions that you avoid can quiet the alarm signals from the brain, which can lessen the pain you’re feeling.

“Be aware of how these emotions feel in your body,” says Jin. “Anger might feel a little bit hot right in the upper chest area and down the arms, whereas grief and sadness feels like a heaviness in the chest; you kind of want to curl up.”

Once you’ve checked in with how you’re feeling, here are some things to try, if you feel you are able to:

Say what you’re feeling using simple “I” statements like: I feel angry, I feel happy, I feel sad.

“It actually takes quite a bit of courage to say, ‘I feel something,’” says Jin.

Write out what you’re feeling: “Take three minutes to write your emotions on a piece of paper, and after the three minutes is up, you can crumple up that piece of paper and move on with your day,” says Jin.

Take a moment afterward and check in on how you feel. A little bit better, maybe?

“When you open up to these emotions, rather than avoid them, it tells your mind and your body, ‘Hey, we can digest these emotions,’” says Jin. “Then the brain and the mind don’t have to send these alarm signals that amplify pain about once-threatening emotions and stress.”

Try mindfulness and relaxation exercises  

Research also suggests that relaxation and mindfulness-based strategies, which focus on being present in the moment with whatever pain or emotion you’re feeling, are also effective for managing chronic pain. Here are some you can try:  

• Mindfulness meditation: Find a comfortable position sitting or lying down, close your eyes and focus your attention on breathing in and breathing out. The goal is to be aware of the present moment and to let your thoughts flow through your head without any judgement. You can find many free guided meditations online.
• Diaphragmatic breathing: Put your hand on your belly, breathe in deeply until you feel it rise, hold it, and then slowly exhale. Repeat five to ten times.  

• Progressive muscle relaxation: Starting from the top of your head, move all the way down your body to your toes, tensing and releasing each muscle group as you go.
• Guided imagery: While you’re deep breathing or relaxing your muscles, in your mind’s eye, try taking yourself out of the situation and imagining yourself in a peaceful place, maybe a mossy forest or a sandy beach.

These kinds of mindfulness and relaxation techniques activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which moves you out of the stress response, which itself could be amplifying your pain. 

“Practice them regularly — even on days you feel okay — to get the most benefit,” Ehde says.

Set a manageable goal to stay active

One of the most debilitating effects of chronic pain is its ability to limit the activities you’re able to do. This can make you feel even more depressed, angry or anxious and aware of the pain you’re experiencing.  

“Things that are meaningful and important to people drop away due to pain,” says Curran.  

While everyone’s abilities are different, it’s important to try to set goals to stay active in whatever way feels safe and manageable. Maybe the goal is to walk your dog around the block once a day or reach out to a friend every week.

Research shows that exercise can be hugely helpful for pain. It might seem counterintuitive, like it could make the pain worse, but it actually interrupts and calms your habitual pain response. When people move regularly, muscles get stronger, joints move more easily and blood flow improves — which can reduce pain and avoid developing new problems from inactivity.

Wherever you’re at and whatever you’re able to do, there’s one last thing to keep in mind:  

“Pain is super common and you’re not alone,” says Curran.