A new study conducted by scientists at the University of California, San Diego, has found that mindfulness meditation effectively alleviates pain, surpassing the effects of a placebo. The research, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, highlights the unique mechanisms by which mindfulness meditation influences pain perception.
The study involved 115 volunteers divided into four groups. The first group engaged in guided mindfulness meditation sessions, while the second group practiced a "simulated" meditation technique, instructed to breathe deeply every two to three minutes. The third group received an inert cream (placebo), believing it to be an anesthetic ointment. The remaining participants served as a control group and listened to an audiobook.
Before the test, all volunteers received a painful stimulus on their leg and rated their pain perception. Subsequently, they received the same stimulus while undergoing an MRI scan, with each group engaging in their respective interventions. Afterward, all participants rated their pain again. Only those who meditated using the correct technique reported a significant reduction in pain intensity.
The researchers analyzed the brain mechanisms involved in pain responses and observed that mindfulness meditation activates different pathways compared to those triggered by the placebo effect. Moreover, mindfulness meditation reduced brain patterns associated with pain and negative emotions.
The study also revealed that both those who performed "simulated" meditation and those who used the cream exhibited brain patterns associated with the placebo effect. The findings suggest that mindfulness meditation modulates both the intensity and discomfort of painful sensations.
"The work provides new evidence, using different brain MRI techniques, that mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce pain signatures, both in the nociceptive aspect (related to the perception of pain stimuli from its receptors) and affective aspects," says neuroscientist Eliza Kozasa from the Brain Institute of the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital.
Mindfulness meditation encourages focusing solely on the present moment, paying attention to sensations, feelings, and thoughts that often go unnoticed in daily life. This method helps to avoid distractions, intrusive thoughts, or reflective processes that can generate stress, anxiety, or other forms of discomfort.
While mindfulness meditation has already been recognized as an aid in managing chronic pain, the study authors emphasize its potential as a cost-effective and accessible alternative for recovery in such cases.