Mindful breathing is the most basic mind-body skill and one that can help break the itch-scratch cycle and relieve the pain, stress and distress that are often experienced by children, adolescents and adults affected by skin conditions, such as was discussed in a session of the Integrative Dermatology Symposium (IDS) 2022.
Mindful breathing is the most basic mind-body skill and one that can help break the itch-scratch cycle and relieve the pain, stress and distress that are often experienced by children, adolescents and adults affected by skin conditions. as was discussed in a session of theIntegrative Dermatology Symposium (IDS) 2022.
“As with any integrative modality, if it’s safe and effective, let’s use it,” he said Kathy Farahan integrative family physician practicing in Roberts, Wisconsin, during a presentation on the mind-body approach to managing pain and itching.
“A breathing session can literally take 1 minute,” he added in a session dedicated to mindfulness Apple Bodemer, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin and director of an integrative dermatology clinic. Bodemer, who teaches patients how to breathe mindfully, completed an integrative medicine fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and serves on the American Board of Integrative Medicine.
His favorite breathing practice is the “4-7-8” breath, which involves inhaling through your nose to a count of 4, holding your breath to a count of 7, and exhaling through your mouth to a count of 8. exhale it is important to contract the abdominals to get the air out of the lungs as much as possible» he specified, advising to carry out three cycles at a time.
Another technique that helps restore the nervous system is “square breathing,” which is inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, said Farah, who worked at a children’s hospital for many years.
With children, do 5-finger breathing, i.e. children spread their fingers in front of them or on the floor and use the index finger of the opposite hand to trace each finger, inhaling as they trace upwards and exhaling as they trace downwards. low.
Studies on the utility of mindfulness
Farah, associate clinical director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Roberts, Wisconsin, said her mindfulness efforts were influenced by a study published over 20 years ago of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis who used the meditation. The stress-reduction intervention, using an audiotape as a guide during phototherapy sessions, resulted in faster resolution of psoriatic lesions than patients who did not perform the mindfulness exercise.
Among the most recent results, one cross-sectional study on 120 adult dermatological patients, published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 2016, assessed shame about skin appearance, social anxiety, anxiety, depression, dermatological quality of life, noting that higher levels of awareness were associated with lower levels of psychosocial distress.
Another questionnaire-based study assessed awareness and “catastrophic itch” in 155 adult patients with atopic dermatitis. The researchers found that higher levels of a specific aspect of mindfulness called “acting with mindfulness” was associated with lower levels of itch catastrophizing. “Catastrophizing is a negative way of thinking, convincing yourself that the itch will never stop,” Farah explained. “The study shows that mindfulness can actually help reduce the number of automatic scratches patients make and the itch response. So it is an excellent complement to drug therapy.
A mantra to drive away negative thoughts
The affirmations that patients repeat to themselves to help push away negative thoughts can also help to reverse the catastrophism of the itch. Statements like “I can breathe despite this itchy feeling” or “I can move to feel comfortable and relaxed” encourage positive change, she added.
“I teach a lot of techniques to raise awareness like breathing, without any expectations. I encourage patients to try and, if they feel even slightly better, then they can continue by relying on the many tools available on the net».
Personally, for Farah, 4-7-8 breathing has been a gateway to meditation and deeper practices for her health, but even on a simple level it is able to modulate the stress response, balancing the parasympathetic-sympathetic systems.
“Conscious breathing and other mind-body practices can be beneficial not only for patients but also for parents of children suffering from eczema,” the two panelists agreed.