Managing Cancer Pain
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Breathing, Relaxation and Imagery Exercises
The following exercises are designed to help you relax and lower your pain. But before getting started, here are a few general guidelines and tips to follow.
- Try to find a comfortable position in bed or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, ankles uncrossed.
- Either close your eyes or focus on a single object.
- Imagine that you are in a special place that is calm and relaxing (at a lake, on the beach, in the mountains, by a cozy fire, etc.)
- Now, you're ready to begin.
Exercises adapted from McCaffrey, M. and Beebe, A. (1989). Pain: Clinical Manual for Nursing Practice, St. Louis, The CV Mosby.
Slow, Rhythmic Breathing for Relaxation
- Breath in slowly and deeply, allowing your abdomen to rise and fall with each breath.
- As you breathe out slowly, feel yourself begin to relax. Feel the tension leaving your body.
- Now, breathe in and out slowly and regularly at whatever rate is comfortable for you.
- To help you focus on breathing slowly and rhythmically:
— As you breathe in, think, "IN, TWO, THREE."
— Then, as you breathe out, think, "OUT, TWO, THREE." (You may want to use a calming word such as "PEACE" or "RELAX" instead.)
- Repeat steps three and four for up to 20 minutes, ending with a slow deep breath. As you breathe out, think, "I feel alert and relaxed."
Quick Relaxation
- Clench your fists, breathe in deeply and hold your breath a moment.
- Breathe out slowly and go limp as a rag doll.
- Start yawning.
Jaw Relaxation
- Let your lower jaw drop slightly, as though you were starting a small yawn.
- Keep your tongue quiet and resting in the bottom of your mouth.
- Let your lips get soft.
- Breathe slowly, evenly and rhythmically (inhale, exhale, rest).
- Repeat step four for up to 20 minutes.
Breathing Out Pain (Pain Relief Imagery)
The following is a script to use to help you imagine your pain away. Fill in the blanks with your own areas of discomfort. This particular exercise will work most effectively if someone reads the script to you while you relax or if you have it tape recorded.
- Close your eyes, if you wish, and take a slow, deep breath. You may feel yourself relax as you breathe out.
- Continue breathing comfortably and slowly at whatever depth is natural for you, feeling your body relax each time you breathe out.
- If you wish, the next time you breathe in, imagine that your breath goes to your _____________, bringing nutrients, comfort and calm.
- As you breathe out, imagine that the air goes out through your _____________, taking with it the discomfort and leaving behind relaxed, healthy, comfortable tissue.
- Each time you breathe in, picture the air flowing through to your _____________, bringing health and comfort.
- As you breathe out, the air once again flows out through your _____________, leaving calm, relaxation, health and comfort behind.
- Continue breathing slowly, and imagine more and more comfort with each breath that flows through your _____________.
- When you are ready, you may end this image by counting silently to yourself from one to three.
- At the count of three, breathe in, open your eyes and say to yourself, "I feel alert and relaxed."