Despite attempts to curtail the usage and reliance upon opiates for pain management, current medical methods of treating chronic pain are often at a loss.

Other than injections surgery and pain pump implants, the chronic pain patient often has to fend for themselves navigating through a maze of specialists and web searches. It is easy to get caught in a downward spiral of physical and emotional decline and turning to medication without any other purposeful “therapy” to provide meaningful functional gains.  Managing pain without opiates with alternative methods is a current hot topic especially to those who suffer both with pain and addiction.  

Floatation therapy is emerging as a valid, effective and adjunctive means for managing chronic pain.  Due to the profound effects that floatation therapy has on decreasing inflammation, stress and anxiety, while increasing quality of sleep and musculoskeletal recovery, it brings positive thoughts and direction for those suffering the total mind and body effect of chronic pain.  

Floating can have profound effect upon specific physical, emotional, neurological and psychological aspects for individuals using opiates under medical management for long-term severe back pain.  

Among the various float research case studies conducted at The Float Zone in Richmond, VA, one particular case study involved an individual suffering from chronic pain due to failed back surgeries.  The subject addressed her symptoms with medically managed opiate medications. The objective of the case study served to provide a concrete example of the positive effects of floatation therapy upon specific physical and emotional aspects related to an individual using opiates to manage chronic pain.   

To show the relief the subject felt after floating, here are a few pertinent subjective comments shared during the case study:

“I’m able to work longer without as much pain". 

“I’m starting to get my energy back and have been able to go to sleep without sleeping pills.”

“ I feel rested when I wake, have a lot of energy and feel stress-free.”

 “I been able to work out again and not be in pain whole time.”

 “I've been working out daily. I've never been able to do over 20 minutes and now am doing over an hour daily.”

“I was able to go eight hours without medication. That has been the longest in years.”

Click to read the Case Study or contact the author, Dr. David Berv, for more information on floating and chronic pain.

To learn more about other pain case studies, visit our Float Research page.