Try These Relaxation and Pain Relief Techniques from the Comfort of Home

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UCSF’s Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD, the world’s foremost expert on children’s pain.</h2> <p class="article-header__author"> By Alexis Martin <span class="article-affiliation">UCSF Magazine</span> <time class="article-issue article-affiliation" datetime=2023-03-08T00:40:42>Winter 2023</time> </p> </header> <ul class="article-meta-share"> <li> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://magazine.ucsf.edu/relaxation-and-pain-relief-techniques" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <span class="fab fa-facebook-square"></span> <span class="indent-text">Facebook</span> </a> </li> <li> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.twitter.com/share?text=Try These Relaxation and Pain Relief Techniques from the Comfort of Home&url=https://magazine.ucsf.edu/relaxation-and-pain-relief-techniques" target="_blank" title="Twitter"> <span class="fa-brands fa-square-x-twitter"></span> <span class="indent-text">Twitter</span> </a> </li> <li> <a rel="nofollow" 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class="indent-text">Email</span> </a> </li> <li> <a rel="nofollow" onclick="window.print();return false;" href="https://magazine.ucsf.edu/relaxation-and-pain-relief-techniques" title="Print Article"> <span class="fas fa-print"></span> <span class="indent-text">Print</span> </a> </li> </ul> <div class="page_narrow"><p>At UCSF’s Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative, and Integrative Medicine, our pediatricians care for children in pain through a unique combination of conventional medical treatments and complementary, evidence-based therapies. Here are a few approaches you can try at home to ease your little one’s discomfort.</p> <h2 class="null" style="margin-top: 60px;">Hypnosis Meditation and Guided Imagery</h2> <p>Hypnosis is a psychological intervention that can augment a child’s coping and reduce anxiety related to pain. It does so by altering the perception of pain through a combination of relaxation techniques, decreased arousal, visual imagery, attention, and/or suggestion. </p> <div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/801076040?h=0756955e22&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="3 Hypnosis Meditation and Guided Imagery"></iframe></div> <script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script> <h2><br> Deep Breathing</h2> <p>Deep breathing – also known as diaphragmatic breathing – is a relaxation technique that can help a child feel calm, relax, and control their own body’s response to stress, while reducing symptoms like pain and nausea, as well as sleeplessness and fear. It also encourages health and healing. </p> <div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/801045945?h=cbe0d546f9&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Deep Breathing"></iframe></div> <script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script> <h2><br> Progressive Muscle Relaxation</h2> <p>Progressive muscle relaxation can support a child to fall asleep and relax, while also decreasing stress over the course of the day. It can also relieve symptoms such as headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, and musculoskeletal pain. </p> <div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/801076009?h=37bb5725de&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="2 Progressive Muscle Relaxation"></iframe></div> <script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script> <h2><br> Acupressure for Infants</h2> <p>Many infants benefit from simple, gentle, healing touch techniques that caregivers can provide safely and effectively at home. These techniques can help babies feel calmer while also supporting their sleep, digestion, breathing, brain development, and weight gain. <a href="https://ucsfonline.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/IP3-PediatricPainPalliativeCareIntegrativeMedicine/EUgv2FxjKOxNsQFr6lFYLwYBbnnR7oiMQATbDEObr7RQcw?e=T9vYhk">Try acupressure for infants</a>.</p> <figure class="caption caption-drupal-entity align-center"> <figure data-embed-button="media_assets" data-entity-embed-display="entity_reference:media_thumbnail" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"article_featured_banner__image","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"},"link_url":""}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="b81889cc-e6b8-474c-98c6-0e8c8bdce970" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><picture> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/default/files/styles/article_featured_banner__image/public/2023-03/application-of-acupressure-point-infant.jpg" width="770" height="513" alt="Nurse performing acupressure on an infant" class="element-fade"> </picture></figure> <figcaption>Acupressure points (acupoints) are specific locations on the body that can create a therapeutic benefit when stimulated. <em>Photo: Anastasiia Sapon</em></figcaption> </figure> <h2>Ear Seed Acupressure</h2> <p>Acupressure seeds can be used to stimulate acupoints – specific locations on the body that can create a therapeutic benefit when stimulated. Ear seeds are safe, gentle, organic seeds from the vaccaria plant that offer the perfect size and shape for this technique. <a href="https://ucsfonline.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/IP3-PediatricPainPalliativeCareIntegrativeMedicine/ES__V7DC9sJDkDHA0rGM0uoBPRwO_iU8YyiMPz6ZGQ8mTA?e=cY7mU0">Try ear seed acupressure</a>. </p> <figure class="caption caption-drupal-entity align-center"> <figure data-embed-button="media_assets" data-entity-embed-display="entity_reference:media_thumbnail" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"article_featured_banner__image","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"},"link_url":""}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="14cf465e-2158-4117-bc61-ff90117417ac" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><picture> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/default/files/styles/article_featured_banner__image/public/2023-03/application-of-an-acupressure-ear-seed.jpg" width="770" height="513" alt="Acupressure seeds are small seeds attached to an adhesive strip that can be used to stimulate acupoints, especially on the ear, to support non-pharmacological symptom management." class="element-fade"> </picture></figure> <figcaption>Acupressure seeds are small seeds attached to an adhesive strip that can be used to stimulate acupoints, especially on the ear, to support non-pharmacological symptom management. <em>Photo: Anastasiia Sapon</em></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="paragraph-text-block">  <div style="background-color:#f2f4f6; padding-left:5%; padding-right:5%; padding-top:5%; padding-bottom:1%;"> <dom-twocolumn-layout data-column1-color="transparent" data-column1-size="30" data-column2-color="transparent" data-column2-size="70"> <div class="column1" slot="column1" style="--column1-color: var(--bg-transparent); --column1-size: var(--size-30); --column1-font-color: var(--font-black)"> <figure data-embed-button="media_assets" data-entity-embed-display="entity_reference:media_thumbnail" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"half__image","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"},"link_url":"\/issues\/winter-2023"}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="5c8bf36b-0645-4b8c-9db0-8778a987058f" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><a href="/issues/winter-2023"><picture> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/half__image/public/2022-12/ucsf-magazine-winter-2023-cover.jpg" width="720" height="840" alt="Cover of UCSF Magazine: top reads “UCSF Magazine, Winter 2023”. 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Try These Relaxation and Pain Relief Techniques from the Comfort of Home | UCSF Magazine