Although most pain is treated using medications, it is possible to alleviate and eliminate pain using powerful breathing techniques. Breathing deeply and fully relaxes and releases the muscles of your neck, back, and entire body. It will help reduce your chronic neck and back pain because a relaxed body encourages better circulation. So with deep breathing, you should experience less pain.

Make Conscious Breathing a Habit

To get off to a better start each day, just take five minutes in the morning to be silent and to do some deep breathing. By taking a few minutes each day to do some conscious breathing; you will relieve stress, heal, and energize your entire being.

Deep breathing moves and stretches the muscles in all directions. With deep breathing, the body starts to become relaxed, and your muscles become more oxygenated. Like this, the muscles start to eliminate toxins which add to the pain we experience.

Once we become aware of our breathing and recognize that it is a way in which we can control the energy of our body and mind, we can begin to use it to improve our daily lives in many ways.

Breathing Tips

Here is an exercise that will get you started in breathing away your pain.

First, simply breathe deeply through your nose. Just be aware of the air that flows in and out of your nostrils. Do this for at least one minute. But don't look at your watch. Be in your breath. Enjoy it. It gives you life.

Second, take a deep breath. Inhale slowly. Take this deep breath of air all the way down to your tailbone. Then exhale slowly, sending the breath up your spinal column and out through your nostrils. Continue this process at least one minute. Longer is better. But don't watch your watch. This will defeat the purpose.

When you focus on your breathing in the first two steps, be aware of how you feel. I would suggest that you keep a journal of how you feel each after doing your breathing practice. You will be able to see the difference in how you feel. It becomes more concrete when you write it down.

We'll continue with more advanced breathing exercises in future articles. But for now, let's just get started with the two steps above. They are simple, yet powerful. And they won't burden you.

Conclusion

Before you reach for the over-the-counter painkillers, try the two simple breathing tips above. And when that pain - be it back, neck, knee, shoulder, foot, hand - be it from arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, or a sports injury - STOP and use the two breathing tips above.

The Best of Health