Meditation as an Adjunct to the Management of Acute Pain.
Flavia Wipplinger, Niels Holthof, Lukas Andereggen, Richard D Urman, Markus M Luedi, Corina Bello
Current Pain and Headache Reports June 7, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s11916-023-01119-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Brain Humans Pain management Acute pain Multimodal treatment |
| Key findings | The authors report conflicting evidence on meditation for acute pain. Some studies suggest meditation has a larger effect on the emotional response to a painful stimulus than on reducing actual pain intensity, and functional MRI has identified brain areas involved in meditation-induced pain relief. They argue that practice and experience are necessary to induce pain modulation, and that meditative techniques are a promising but still emerging approach for acute pain. |
Abstract
Purpose of review: We aim to present current understanding and evidence for meditation, mostly referring to mindfulness meditation, for the management of acute pain and potential opportunities of incorporating it into the acute pain service practice. Recent findings: There is conflicting evidence concerning meditation as a remedy in acute pain. While some studies have found a bigger impact of meditation on the emotional response to a painful stimulus than on the reduction in actual pain intensities, functional Magnet Resonance Imaging has enabled the identification of various brain areas involved in meditation-induced pain relief. Potential benefits of meditation in acute pain treatment include changes in neurocognitive processes. Practice and Experience are necessary to induce pain modulation. In the treatment of acute pain, evidence is emerging only recently. Meditative techniques represent a promising approach for acute pain in various settings.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Mindfulness, cognition, and long-term meditators: Toward a science of advanced meditation. Imaging Neuroscience 2025
- Beyond mindfulness: how Buddhist meditation transforms consciousness through distinct psychological pathways. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Attention and meditative development: A review and synthesis of long-term meditators and outlook for the study of advanced meditation. Neuroimage November 19, 2025
- Unravelling the role of mind-body therapies in paediatric palliative care: A narrative review. Acta Paediatrica May 1, 2024
Cites 39
- The Brain's Default Mode Network Annual Review of Neuroscience May 4, 2015
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Theories of consciousness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience July 1, 2022
- The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue. American Psychologist 2006
- Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology December 11, 2018
and 34 more in the library