天美传媒

Abstract

Chronic and acute pain significantly impact global health, and non-pharmacological approaches are increasingly being explored to complement traditional treatments. Meditation, encompassing mindfulness, focused attention, and transcendental practices, has gained scientific attention for its potential role in modulating pain perception. This meta-analysis evaluates a wide body of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies to quantify the efficacy of meditation in reducing pain sensitivity across clinical and experimental settings. The findings suggest that meditation, particularly mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), is associated with moderate to large reductions in pain intensity and unpleasantness, as well as improvements in emotional response to pain. The neurophysiological mechanisms behind these effects appear to involve modulation of attention, cognitive control, and emotion regulation circuits in the brain. Meditation presents a promising adjunct in pain management, particularly for individuals seeking holistic, non-drug-based options.