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Pain Management Class 2009: Guided Imagery, Part 1

March 23rd, 2009 · No Comments

Each Monday this series of articles will feature pain management techniques to help you decrease and cope with pain.  It’s your at-home pain management class!

So far we’ve looked at relaxation skills – breathing, relaxation and visualization – that work to decrease pain indirectly through relaxation.  Guided imagery – while still a relaxation skill – is a bit different.

Guided imagery helps reduce pain more directly through the use of suggestion.  An image is paired with your pain, and by reducing, decreasing or changing the image in some way, your pain may also decrease.   Today we’ll use the image of special water.

Guided imagery of water

There are several ways to use this exercise:

  • read through the exercise and then do it from memory (it doesn’t have to be done exactly as I’ve written it)
  • tape record the exercise yourself, then play it back for yourself to do
  • have someone else read or record the exercise for you

As you try guided imagery, notice if you benefit even more than by using relaxation exercises.

Your assignment:  Do a guided imagery exercise at least once a day.

Other articles in this series:

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