More effective than placebos, mindfulness meditation acts directly on pain by modifying the way in which the brain processes painful stimuli.
- Not only did mindfulness meditation outperform placebos and sham meditations in reducing participants’ perceived pain, but it also showed unique effects in the brain.
- The researchers found that the practice decreased activity in brain regions associated with the physical sensation of pain as well as its emotional impact.
- “It has long been assumed that the placebo effect overlaps with brain mechanisms triggered by active treatments, but these results suggest that, for pain, this is not the case. [Cela] supports the use of meditation as a direct intervention for chronic pain rather than as a means of engaging the placebo effect.”
Could mindfulness meditation, already renowned for stress management or the treatment of addictions, also serve as a natural painkiller? A new study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatryreveals that this practice is more effective than placebo treatments in relieving pain in patients. Results that overturn preconceived ideas about how meditation works.
Mindfulness meditation versus placebo
For years, the question of whether meditation works by harnessing suggestion, like placebos, has sparked heated debate among the scientific community. But this new research, conducted by the University of California at San Diego and Dartmouth College (United States), provides strong evidence that meditation and placebos follow very distinct brain paths. “The mind is extremely powerful, and we are still figuring out how to use it for pain management”explains Professor Fadel Zeidan, lead author, in a press release
The study involved 115 healthy volunteers, divided into four groups: mindfulness meditation, mock meditation, placebo cream and control group. After four 20-minute training sessions, participants underwent pain tests in the form of heat applied to their legs, while being scanned with MRIs. The mindfulness meditation group was told to focus on breathing and observe sensations without judgment, while the placebo group was given a cream that was supposed to relieve pain.
A powerful tool to relieve chronic pain
Not only did mindfulness meditation outperform placebos and sham meditations in reducing participants’ perceived pain, but it also showed unique effects in the brain. The researchers found that the practice decreased activity in brain regions associated with the physical sensation of pain as well as its emotional impact. For their part, the placebo cream only influenced participants’ pain expectations, and the fake meditation had minimal effects.
“It has long been assumed that the placebo effect overlaps with brain mechanisms triggered by active treatments, but these results suggest that, for pain, this is not the case, explains Fadel Zeidan. Instead, these two brain responses are completely distinct, supporting the use of meditation as a direct intervention for chronic pain rather than as a means of engaging the placebo effect.”
These results show that mindfulness meditation doesn’t just convince patients that they feel less pain: it fundamentally changes the way the brain processes painful stimuli. This practice could well become a therapeutic tool of choice, at a time when “Millions of people live with chronic pain every day”according to the study.
