OBJECTIVE Slow deep breathing has been proposed as an effective method to decrease pain. However, experimental studies conducted to validate this claim have not been carried out. DESIGN We measured thermal pain threshold and tolerance scores from 20 healthy adults during five different conditions, namely, during natural breathing (baseline), slow deep breathing (6 breaths/minute), rapid breathing (16 breaths/minute), distraction (video game), and heart rate (HR) biofeedback. We measured respiration (rate and depth) and HR variability from the electrocardiogram (ECG) output and analyzed the effects of respiration on pain and HR variability using time and frequency domain measures of the ECG. RESULTS Compared with baseline, thermal pain threshold was significantly higher during slow deep breathing (P = 0.002), HR biofeedback (P \textless 0.001), and distraction (P = 0.006), whereas thermal pain tolerance was significantly higher during slow deep breathing (P = 0.003) and HR biofeedback (P \textless 0.001). Compared with baseline, only slow deep breathing and HR biofeedback conditions had an effect on cardiac activity. These conditions increased the amplitude of vagal cardiac markers (peak-to-valley, P \textless 0.001) as well as low frequency power (P \textless 0.001). CONCLUSION Slow deep breathing and HR biofeedback had analgesic effects and increased vagal cardiac activity. Distraction also produced analgesia; however, these effects were not accompanied by concomitant changes in cardiac activity. This suggests that the neurobiology underlying respiratory-induced analgesia and distraction are different. Clinical implications are discussed, as are the possible cardiorespiratory processes responsible for mediating breathing-induced analgesia.
%0 Journal Article
%1 chalaye_respiratory_2009
%A Chalaye, Philippe
%A Goffaux, Philippe
%A Lafrenaye, Sylvie
%A Marchand, Serge
%D 2009
%J Pain Medicine (Malden, Mass.)
%K Adult Analgesia Attention Biofeedback Breathing_Exercises Female Heart_Conduction_System Heart_Rate Humans Hyperalgesia Male Pain Pain_Measurement Pain_Threshold Photic_Stimulation Psychology Psychophysiology Respiratory_Physiological_Phenomena Treatment_Outcome Vagus_Nerve Young_Adult
%N 8
%P 1334--1340
%R 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2009.00681.x
%T Respiratory effects on experimental heat pain and cardiac activity
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19671085
%V 10
%X OBJECTIVE Slow deep breathing has been proposed as an effective method to decrease pain. However, experimental studies conducted to validate this claim have not been carried out. DESIGN We measured thermal pain threshold and tolerance scores from 20 healthy adults during five different conditions, namely, during natural breathing (baseline), slow deep breathing (6 breaths/minute), rapid breathing (16 breaths/minute), distraction (video game), and heart rate (HR) biofeedback. We measured respiration (rate and depth) and HR variability from the electrocardiogram (ECG) output and analyzed the effects of respiration on pain and HR variability using time and frequency domain measures of the ECG. RESULTS Compared with baseline, thermal pain threshold was significantly higher during slow deep breathing (P = 0.002), HR biofeedback (P \textless 0.001), and distraction (P = 0.006), whereas thermal pain tolerance was significantly higher during slow deep breathing (P = 0.003) and HR biofeedback (P \textless 0.001). Compared with baseline, only slow deep breathing and HR biofeedback conditions had an effect on cardiac activity. These conditions increased the amplitude of vagal cardiac markers (peak-to-valley, P \textless 0.001) as well as low frequency power (P \textless 0.001). CONCLUSION Slow deep breathing and HR biofeedback had analgesic effects and increased vagal cardiac activity. Distraction also produced analgesia; however, these effects were not accompanied by concomitant changes in cardiac activity. This suggests that the neurobiology underlying respiratory-induced analgesia and distraction are different. Clinical implications are discussed, as are the possible cardiorespiratory processes responsible for mediating breathing-induced analgesia.
@article{chalaye_respiratory_2009,
abstract = {{OBJECTIVE} Slow deep breathing has been proposed as an effective method to decrease pain. However, experimental studies conducted to validate this claim have not been carried out. {DESIGN} We measured thermal pain threshold and tolerance scores from 20 healthy adults during five different conditions, namely, during natural breathing (baseline), slow deep breathing (6 breaths/minute), rapid breathing (16 breaths/minute), distraction (video game), and heart rate {(HR)} biofeedback. We measured respiration (rate and depth) and {HR} variability from the electrocardiogram {(ECG)} output and analyzed the effects of respiration on pain and {HR} variability using time and frequency domain measures of the {ECG.} {RESULTS} Compared with baseline, thermal pain threshold was significantly higher during slow deep breathing {(P} = 0.002), {HR} biofeedback {(P} {\textless} 0.001), and distraction {(P} = 0.006), whereas thermal pain tolerance was significantly higher during slow deep breathing {(P} = 0.003) and {HR} biofeedback {(P} {\textless} 0.001). Compared with baseline, only slow deep breathing and {HR} biofeedback conditions had an effect on cardiac activity. These conditions increased the amplitude of vagal cardiac markers (peak-to-valley, P {\textless} 0.001) as well as low frequency power {(P} {\textless} 0.001). {CONCLUSION} Slow deep breathing and {HR} biofeedback had analgesic effects and increased vagal cardiac activity. Distraction also produced analgesia; however, these effects were not accompanied by concomitant changes in cardiac activity. This suggests that the neurobiology underlying respiratory-induced analgesia and distraction are different. Clinical implications are discussed, as are the possible cardiorespiratory processes responsible for mediating breathing-induced analgesia.},
added-at = {2011-08-03T20:31:37.000+0200},
author = {Chalaye, Philippe and Goffaux, Philippe and Lafrenaye, Sylvie and Marchand, Serge},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/298ff66fd10ddd1d85a880bcc2535a4d9/crc_chus},
doi = {10.1111/j.1526-4637.2009.00681.x},
interhash = {d091a188a303ce964b5edfe9f67dcf99},
intrahash = {98ff66fd10ddd1d85a880bcc2535a4d9},
issn = {1526-4637},
journal = {Pain Medicine {(Malden}, Mass.)},
keywords = {Adult Analgesia Attention Biofeedback Breathing_Exercises Female Heart_Conduction_System Heart_Rate Humans Hyperalgesia Male Pain Pain_Measurement Pain_Threshold Photic_Stimulation Psychology Psychophysiology Respiratory_Physiological_Phenomena Treatment_Outcome Vagus_Nerve Young_Adult},
month = nov,
note = {{PMID:} 19671085},
number = 8,
pages = {1334--1340},
timestamp = {2011-08-03T20:35:33.000+0200},
title = {Respiratory effects on experimental heat pain and cardiac activity},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19671085},
volume = 10,
year = 2009
}