If you’re listening to Back Talk Doc, you or someone you know is probably dealing with some type of pain.
Chronic pain can be very hard to handle, but many times when we create a mental image of our suffering, we tend to aggravate this pain, thus increasing it. This mental image leads to negativity on a conscious and subconscious level associated with your pain.
Today, give your body a safe place to deal with pain. Join us on a guided meditation that will teach techniques to change the mental image that has been created from this pain, and transform it to a peaceful association with pleasant visualizations that create a warmer bonding between you and your body’s sensations.
💡 Featured Expert 💡
Name: Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia
What he does: In addition to hosting Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia is a board-certified physiatrist who cares for patients at the Ballantyne and Rock Hill offices of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates. As a physiatrist, he specializes in non-surgical approaches to spine and orthopedic conditions and offers a diverse range of innovative treatments for back pain, including acupuncture, spinal injections, and prescriptive exercise.
Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.
Transcripts
Voiceover (:
Welcome. You're listening to Back Talk Doc, where you'll find answers to some of the most common questions about back pain and spine health. Brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates, where providing personalized, highly-skilled, and compassionate spine care has been our specialty for over 75 years. And now, it's time to understand the cause of back pain and learn about options to get you back on track. Here's your Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia.
Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia (:
Many of you who listen to this podcast are struggling with some type of pain. The following is a guided meditation to create a safe place to deal with pain. Pain can be very hard to handle, but many times when we create a mental image of our suffering, we tend to aggravate this pain, thus increasing it. And every time we feel the sensation we will have a negative thought attached to it on a conscious and subconscious level.
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So what this meditation will teach you are techniques to change the mental image that has been created from this pain. And instead, implement a peaceful association with pleasant visualizations that create a warmer bonding between you and your body's sensations. This allows you to accept and allow, instead of fight and push away.
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Make sure you're in a comfortable position for this meditation. And do not listen to this meditation while driving or performing any task where you could potentially get injured. This is meant to be done in the privacy of your own home or at a place where you can have some peace and tranquility.
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Sit down, or lay down if that feels good for you, however you need to position yourself. Do that, so none of your muscles are activated or tense. Every part of your body can rest and feel completely relaxed during this meditation. Begin by taking five deep breaths to relax even more. Fully breathe in and let go. Two, fully inhale and exhale. Three, breathe in as much as you can and let it go, feeling a wave of relaxation come over you. Four, inhale deeply and exhale, feeling invigorated. And five, last one, fully inhale and exhale, feeling any tension loosen up and your body feeling extremely relaxed. Good.
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And just allow your breath to slow and flow naturally now. Don't try to change anything about it, just notice the calmness that these five breaths gifted you. Notice how your body breathes without you doing anything at all. Begin to feel any sensations that you associate with your pain. Bring them into your awareness and allow the feeling to multiply. You are completely safe and secure. It's okay to allow these sensations to arise, they will not harm you.
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Put all or your focus on these areas, really feel their exact position and the quality of the sensations. What's the pain like for you? Is it stinging, tingling, or burning? Perhaps it's like something else. In your mind, describe every detail and then sit with it, entirely with it, while it presents itself. Don't do anything about it, except feel it. Allow the sensations to grow and don't stop them, just see what they do. Notice the details of changes the sensations make. Good. You are doing so well.
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Now, switch your focus and bring into your mind's eye a visual of a place you love to go or have been to, that's very peaceful and serene for you. It could be an imaginary place, like on top of a gorgeous mountain, or somewhere you go frequently, like a nearby nature path. Your favorite place can be as simple as your warm, cozy bed, next to a loved one. Wherever this place is for you, see it vividly right now. Start by visualizing all the physical aspects of this place. Where are you? What do you see when you look up? If you're outside, it could be the sky. If you're in a safe room somewhere, it could be the ceiling. Notice everything you see when you look up. Now, look down at your feet. What does the ground look like below you?
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Gaze all around this favorite place of yours, making the colors bright and vivid. Make out even more details now, like the leaves on the trees and the plants or the things that are placed around the room. Do you notice any patterns anywhere? They could be patterns in nature, like the way things grow or the patterns of fabric and objects in a room. Notice every pattern you can find, in great detail. The more details you can imagine, the better. How dark or light out is it? What time of the day do you think it is? And make a judgment about the placement of the sun in the sky. Which way is a lot of the sun coming into your imagination? Look at all the beautiful things that make this place so enjoyable for you. Use your visual creativity of this place for the next several moments. Very nice.
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Now, you're going to being about the sensations this beautiful spot offers. Start by tapping your feet on the ground. Is the surface hard or soft? Feel the ground below you, here, with your feet. Notice anything you can about it. Become aware of the temperature in this place. Is it cool, or warm, or hot? Is there a breeze blowing or is the air calm and still? Can you feel the sun on your skin? Sit with these sensations for a few moments and enjoy them. Are there any smells here? If you're imagining the beach, maybe you can smell the salty air. Or if you're in a forest, the smell of nature. Just notice how your sense of smell can create sensations of aromas for you, when you put your mind to it.
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What about sounds? Bring fully into this experience any sounds that surround you here. Perhaps you can hear a loved one nearby. Perhaps you are alone and can hear the sounds that nature creates for you. Vividly hear any sounds in this experience. Sit with these senses activated for a few moments and begin to interact with your environment. Great.
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To relax even further, become aware of what you are doing here. Are you sitting down and relaxing or walking around and exploring? Are you doing exactly what you love and want to do? See yourself being completely relaxed and happy here. There's no need to do anything here, but relax and enjoy it. Be assured that this place is always here of you to keep you safe if you need to flee from pain.
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Take another slow and deep breath in. And as you exhale, you feel at complete peace with yourself and all the sensations in your body. As I speak these words to you, you are changing the mental images associated with your pain. Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the sensations in your body, repeat this exercise to accept the pain and change the thoughts associated with it. When you use this technique you will stop the pain from becoming aggravated and growing stronger. When you visually visualize a safe and peaceful place in moments of distress, you are slowing down your pulse and blood pressure, creating a peaceful and strong connection to your body and mind. And allow yourself to slowly become aware of your surroundings. And wherever you are now, open your eyes, ready to go about your day peacefully. Namaste.
Voiceover (:
Thank you for listening to this episode of Back Talk Doc, brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. We look forward to having you join us for more insights about back pain and spine health, on the next episode of Back Talk Doc. Additional information is also available at carolinaneurosurgery.com.
