While such as glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids can help alleviate pain, researchers are now saying that breathing techniques may help ease various discomforts.

Researchers from the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University found that chronic pain sufferers, also known as fibromyalgia patients, were less likely to report feeling pain when they breathed slower. However, if the patients were overwhelmed by feelings of stress or anxiety, breathing techniques did nothing.

Participants were female, between the ages of 45 and 65, and were either previously diagnosed with fibromyalgia or healthy.

Researchers administered moderately painful heat pulses on their palms. Patients were asked to reduce their breathing rates by 50 percents. Overall, between both healthy and fibromyalgia groups noticed a less amount of pain when they slowed down their breathing.

It was found that patients who had fibromyalgia and had a positive outlook on life were less likely to feel pain when they slowed down their breathing rate.

“This fits with the idea that FM patients in general have low positive affect, or energy reserves. Those who do have some positive energy left in their “mental battery” can use it to reduce pain by breathing slowly, just like healthy normals,” said lead researcher Dr. Arthur Craig.