Relaxation techniques for pain relief

Medication does not always sufficiently manage the chronic pain caused by OA. But there are several pain control techniques that use relaxation, and patients who practice them often find them quite effective for short-term relief. They also can give patients a sense of having much more control over their lives.

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Deep-breathing exercises make a person aware that breathing is related to emotional states; controlling breathing can reduce stress, and stress reduction often reduces the sensations of pain.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that teaches muscle-by-muscle relaxation, by getting patients to tense muscles and then release then, heightening awareness of the difference. Tense muscles can exacerbate feelings of pain; relaxed muscles can reduce them.

Guided imagery uses the power of patients' imaginations to visualize places or times where they are peaceful, pain-free, and healthy.

Biofeedback is a technique that uses electronic monitors to help patients learn to alter particular body functions. For instance, a heartbeat monitor sounds a high tone when the beat speeds up and a low tone when it slows down, and patients try to make the tone lower and lower, thus slowing their heart rate.