A recent study has found that just 20 minutes of mindful breathing can significantly reduce pain intensity and anxiety. This simple technique, involving focused concentration on the breath, offers potential relief for millions of cancer patients with inadequate pain control despite advances in conventional treatments.
Reducing Cancer Pain Intensity
The potential applications of mindfulness in pain management are particularly relevant in cancer care. Pain affects an estimated 30 to 40 percent of cancer patients worldwide due to factors including tumor pressure, nerve damage directly caused by a tumor, and treatment side effects.The study, though small in scale, involved 40 patients with various types of cancer who reported pain levels of four or higher on a 10-point scale. Researchers randomly assigned participants to one of two groups: 21 received guided mindful breathing sessions, while the remaining 19 participated in supportive listening sessions with a physician.
