Mindfulness-Based Meditation Versus Progressive Relaxation Meditation: Impact on Chronic Pain in Older Female Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy

Abstract

Chronic pain, the most common complication of diabetes, is treated with medication often to no avail. Our study aimed to compare the use of mindfulness meditation and progressive relaxation to reduce chronic pain in older females with diabetes. Methods The 105 study participants were divided randomly into 3 groups: Group MM (mindfulness meditation), Group CM (control meditation), and Group PM (progressive relaxation meditation). Assessment of analgesic effectiveness required changes in average daily pain Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) modified for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy and Patient Global Impression of Change using descriptive statistics, Student’s t test, and analysis of variance where applicable. Results Both Groups MM and PM experienced significant ( P < .05) reduction in average daily pain in last 24 hours at study end compared to baseline (28.7% and 39.7%, respectively). Group MM had more significant ( P < .01) reduction of pain compared to control, a score of 5.2 ± 1.2 dropped to 3.0 ± 1.1 by week 12 of treatment. Groups MM and PM showed significant improvement in patients’ impression at study end, 75 ± 5.1% (n = 36) and 61 ± 6.5% (n = 32), respectively. In Group MM, patient satisfaction scores increased significantly ( P < .05) to 3.8 ± 1.9 by week 12. Conclusion Integrative therapies such as mindfulness meditation can be part of a comprehensive pain management plan. Benefits include reduction of pain-related medication consumption, better treatment outcomes, improvement in comorbid conditions such as anxiety and depression as well as no risk of addiction or abuse.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Mindfulness Meditation on Neuropathic Pain, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…In accordance with our first hypothesis, both progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation reduced the severity of DPNP. Hussain and Said (2019) evaluated the effects of progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation on neuropathic pain severity in patients with type 2 diabetes and reported results similar to those of our study. Earlier studies addressing the effects of progressive muscle relaxation in different chronic pain conditions (including neck or back pain and fibromyalgia) also supported the pain‐relieving effect of progressive muscle relaxation (Coppieters et al, 2016; Lauche et al, 2013).…”

“…To date, numerous studies have examined the effects of different pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches on diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Among these studies, reduction in pain scores varying between 0.6 and 4.5 points had been considered clinically meaningful (Arezzo, Rosenstock, LaMoreaux, & Pauer, 2008; Gok Metin, Arikan Donmez, Izgu, Ozdemir, & Arslan, 2017; Hussain & Said, 2019; Nathan et al, 2017). Although the types of interventions, durations of interventions, and follow‐up periods differed in these reports, the reduction in pain scores in this study is comparable to those of the above‐mentioned reports.…”

“…Earlier studies examining progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation in the diabetic population focused mainly on glycemic targets (Avianti et al, 2016; Ghezeljeh, Kohandany, Oskouei, & Malek, 2017; Schuster, 2010; Vala, Razmandeh, Rambol, Nasli Esfahani, & Ghodsi Ghasemabadi, 2016). While studies show promising results in attenuating chronic pain with meditation and progressive muscle relaxation in the nondiabetic population, the effects of these techniques on DPNP have not been fully investigated (Hussain & Said, 2019; Nathan et al, 2017; Teixeira, 2010). To date, only one study has examined the effects of progressive muscle relaxation on fatigue and quality of life (Antoni, 2017), and another compared the impacts of progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation on DPNP (Hussain & Said, 2019).…”

“…While studies show promising results in attenuating chronic pain with meditation and progressive muscle relaxation in the nondiabetic population, the effects of these techniques on DPNP have not been fully investigated (Hussain & Said, 2019; Nathan et al, 2017; Teixeira, 2010). To date, only one study has examined the effects of progressive muscle relaxation on fatigue and quality of life (Antoni, 2017), and another compared the impacts of progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation on DPNP (Hussain & Said, 2019). Further, to the best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the concurrent effects of both progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation on DPNP, fatigue, and quality of life.…”

The effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine therapy in reducing pain in diabetic neuropathy: A systematic review

“…Most studies reported patients with DN pain, type 2 DM, VAS pain score of 4.83, pain duration of 6 to 12 years (Asadi et al, 2019). Most samples were 105 (Hussain & Said, 2019), with an average age of 59 years and 544 (64%) with the female gender.…”