A new study may have individuals thinking twice before reaching for a conventional pain medication to manage pain.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina have found that meditation has analgesic benefits associated with creating a relaxed state of mind and enhancing the ability to moderate reactions to pain.

They recruited students who were interested in learning meditation for their study, which is published in The Journal of Pain. Subjects were trained in meditation for three consecutive days and then were given experimental pain stimuli.

Results of the trial showed that relaxed states promoted by the brief mindfulness meditation sessions reduced the reported pain ratings. In addition, researchers say the subjects showed significant reductions in anxiety after each meditation stimulation.

The study’s authors noted that the analgesic effects of meditation can be realized even after a short period of time learning the technique. Also, the results provide additional validation of the benefits of cognitive techniques for controlling pain.

Other natural ways to relieve pain include hypnosis, massage, reflexology and chiropractic manipulations. Capsaicin cream or ointment as well as nutritional supplements containing arnica, turmeric, fish oil and sam-E may also help reduce pain.