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

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.

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.

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.

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.