Use of Emotional Freedom Technique As a Complementary Pain Management Practice

Purpose

The purpose of this presentation focuses on an ongoing examination of a self-care strategy patients can utilize to relieve stress and or manage pain. Persons with chronic pain may experience significant stress and loss of control over their lives. High levels of stress and anxiety in chronic pain patients can affect daily functioning as well as negatively influence quality of life. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) offers an easy to master self-care technique that chronic pain patients can utilize as an alternative or complementary pain management strategy.

Emotional Freedom Technique

EFT is the combination of Acceptance theory and Energy medicine. The patient states 3 times whatever emotion or emotions they are feeling at the beginning tapping point. This is again stated while gently tapping over various acupressure points on their torso. EFT is believed to relieve anxiety because the person is acknowledging what the body already feels and knows. Stating the emotions while gently tapping with fingertip on the acupressure points may release this energy and the person’s anxiety level decreases. Similar to acupuncture, EFT focuses on meridian points to restore balance to the body’s energy. Meridian points are pathways that help balance energy flow and maintain health. While the primary pain response is the brain’s response to the original injury, the secondary pain response involves the minds interpretation of the primary pain response. Hyperalgesia represents a lowering of the nocioceptor threshold that may persist long after the initial cause for pain has disappeared. Secondary pain responses are frequently accompanied by increased anxiety and stress levels as the person experiences not only physical but also psychic distress. EFT works to reverse the pain cycle by restoring the body’s energy balance.

Conclusions

EFT can be used as a stress-reduction, self-management strategy for persons suffering with chronic pain. This is a nonpharmacologic approach, not requiring a provider order, is easily learned, unobtrusive when using, and requires no special equipment. It is a technique nurses can teach their patients.