Guided Imagery and Visualization

Excerpts from the entry on Guided imagery and visualization in Relieving Pain Naturally by Dr. Sylvia Goldfarb and Roberta W. Waddell. For full entries on all 37 conditions and 27 treatments, order the book.

Guided imagery and visualization, or creative visualization, are techniques that use the power of your mind to elicit a physical response. With guided imagery, images come either from a therapist or a tape, and can be auditory, aural, tactile, or visual. With visualization, or creative visualization, the visual images are self-induced. Whether you are working alone or with a therapist, the techniques are the same. They can all be used to relieve stress and manage pain, and are all based on the theory that your mind can influence your body. A typical example of the power of visual imaging is that, when you think of something you really like to eat, a juicy orange for example, you are likely to start salivating. If you think of something that frightens you, such as falling from a great height or being stuck in an elevator, your heart will start to pound and your blood pressure will rise. Although it is not a cure-all, imagery can be miraculous for some, and a high percentage of those who have tried imaging and/or visualization find the techniques a helpful adjunct for pain relief. Guided imaging and visualization have wide applications and can be very effective for improving athletic performance, preparing yourself for public speaking, or rehearsing music, but here we are concentrating on their usefulness for pain management.

Also in this entry:

• The History of Guided Imagery and Visualization
• How Guided Imagery and Visualization Work
• Painful Conditions that Respond Well to Therapy
• Advantages of Guided Imagery and Visualization
• How Guided Imagery and Visualization Are Used
• Cautions
• Clinical Studies

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