Breath-Holding During Exhalation as a Simple Manipulation to Reduce Pain Perception

OBJECTIVE: Baroreceptor stimulation yields antinociceptive effects. In this study, baroreceptors were stimulated by a respiratory maneuver, with the effect of this manipulation on pain perception subsequently measured. METHODS: Thirty-eight healthy participants were instructed to inhale slowly (control condition) and to hold the air in lungs after a deep inhalation (experimental condition). It was expected that breath-holding would increases blood pressure (BP) and thus stimulate the baroreceptors, which in turn would reduce pain perception. Pain was induced by pressure algometry on the nail of the left-index finger, at three different pressure intensities, and quantified by visual analogue scales. Heart rate (HR) and BP were continuously recorded. RESULTS: Pain perception was lower when pain pressure was administered during the breath-holding phase versus the slow inhalation phase, regardless of the pressure intensity. During breath-holding, a rapid increase in BP and decrease in HR were observed, demonstrating activation of the baroreceptor reflex. CONCLUSION: Pain perception is reduced when painful stimulation is applied during breath-holding immediately following a deep inhalation. These results suggest that a simple and easy-to-perform respiratory maneuver could be used to reduce acute pain perception.