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Can slow deep breathing reduce pain? An experimental study exploring mechanisms

The Journal of Pain Jun 07, 2020

Jafari H, Gholamrezaei A, Franssen M, et al. - Researchers explored how instructed breathing patterns affect experimental heat pain and investigated the possible mechanisms of action. In a within-individual experimental design, healthy volunteers (n = 48) were asked to perform 4 breathing patterns: 1) unpaced breathing, 2) paced breathing at the participant's spontaneous breathing frequency, 3) slow deep breathing (SDB) at 6 breaths per minute with a high inspiration/expiration ratio (SDB-H), and 4) SDB at 6 breaths per minute with a low inspiration/expiration ratio (SDB-L). Painful heat stimuli of 3 different temperatures were administered to participants during presentation of each breathing pattern; participants rated each stimulus on pain intensity. Compared to unpaced breathing, participants reported less intense pain during each of the 3 instructed breathing patterns. Per observations, pain can be reduced with paced breathing. Enhancement of the hypoalgesic effect was noted when breathing is paced at a lower frequency. When expiration is longer, more pronounced hypoalgesic effect is observed.

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