Pain Processing In Relation To Breathing

Launched by BALGRIST UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL · Dec 5, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how different breathing techniques can affect how we feel pain. Researchers want to understand if changing the speed of our breathing can change how sensitive our skin becomes to heat, which is a way to study how our bodies process pain. They will look at whether a specific breathing pattern, called resonance frequency breathing, has any effects on our nervous system compared to regular breathing. Participants will experience heat applied to their skin to test sensitivity and will follow various breathing instructions. They will also have their heart rate and other responses measured while filling out some questionnaires.

To join this study, participants should be between 18 and 40 years old, generally healthy, and able to understand the study instructions. However, people with serious medical conditions, chronic pain, or certain other health issues will not be eligible. Those who take pain medications, have consumed alcohol or excessive caffeine recently, or have specific foot sizes and conditions may also be excluded. Overall, this trial aims to better understand the link between breathing patterns and pain processing, which could lead to new ways to help manage pain in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. over 18 and below 40 years of age
• • 2. good general health
• • 3. able to give informed consent
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. any major medical or psychiatric condition (e.g. heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, major depressive disorder), any chronic pain condition, any respiratory problems, any current acute pain at time of study
• • 2. inability to follow study instructions, e.g. due to language problems
• • 3. Consumption of alcohol, drugs, analgesics within the last 24 h
• • 4. Consumption of no more than 100 mg of caffeine within the last 8 h
• • 5. Scar tissue or generally reduced sensitivity in the designated testing site areas
• • Additional exclusion criteria for experiments 3 and 4
• • 1. Shoe size \< 38
• • 2. Restless-Legs-Syndrome