Many people living with chronic pain, including trigeminal nerve pain, notice that muscle tension can further intensify their discomfort. Stress, anxiety, fatigue, and the body's reaction to pain itself cause muscles to tighten more than necessary.
That is why I want to share a technique that can help: progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) combined with elements of visualization. This exercise teaches you to recognize tension in the body and consciously release it. Over time, it allows you to calm the stress response more quickly and achieve at least a moment of relief.
What a Relaxation Session Looks Like
Imagine you have a few minutes just for yourself. You sit comfortably, perhaps in a soft armchair or on your bed. Feet resting on the floor. Back straight but not rigid. Hands resting lightly on your thighs.
You begin with several calm diaphragmatic breaths. On the inhale, your belly rises gently like a calm wave; on the exhale, it falls. You feel air filling the chest and slowly leaving it, and the body beginning to let go.
Then you direct your attention to the first muscle group. Usually starting from the feet.
Feet: On the inhale, you lift your toes toward your knee. The muscles tense lightly, as much as is comfortable. You hold this tension for 2–3 seconds. Then, with the exhale, you let your toes drop. You feel the tension flowing away, as if heavy energy is leaving the foot, and the muscles become soft and warmer.
Calves: You lift your heel as if wanting to stand on your toes. The calf muscles tense lightly. For a few seconds you observe the difference between tension and relaxation. Then you slowly lower the heel, with the exhale, and feel the calf become heavy, warm, and calm.
Thighs: You straighten your leg and tense the thigh muscles. For a moment you observe the tension. With the exhale you slowly lower the leg and notice the muscles "melting" back to softness.
Abdomen: You place your hand on your belly and feel its movement with each breath. On the inhale you gently tense the abdominal muscles. On the exhale you release the tension and let the belly fall.
Hands and forearms: You make a fist, not tightly, just enough to feel the difference. You hold it briefly, then slowly relax your fingers. You feel blood returning to the hand.
Biceps, arms, shoulders: You bring your hand toward your shoulder, tensing the bicep briefly. With the exhale you let the arm drop heavier into the chair. Then you draw your shoulder blades together, and release again. The shoulders often feel as though they drop several centimeters, as if someone has lifted an invisible weight.
Face and jaw: This is a particularly important moment for us. Do everything gently, respecting your boundaries.
You may: very lightly clench the teeth (or skip this if it causes pain), lift the corners of the mouth, or slightly squint or furrow the brow, only as much as you can without discomfort.
Then... you let the face relax. The muscles of the cheeks, eyelids, and jaw soften as if melting in warm water.
Forehead: Raise your eyebrows, tensing the forehead muscles, then slowly release them. This is often the moment when the body signals: "now I am truly resting."
Whole body: Finally, scan your attention through the entire body, from the crown of the head, through the face, neck, shoulders, chest, belly, hips, legs, down to the feet. Breathe calmly. For a few moments, simply be, in silence and soothing stillness.
How This Helps
Progressive relaxation:
- teaches you to notice where tension appears in the body before it becomes intense,
- helps reduce the body's stress response,
- improves body awareness,
- sends a signal to the nervous system: "you can calm down,"
- in some people, reduces the intensity of perceived pain.
Practical Tips
- If you feel pain in a specific muscle group (e.g., around the face or jaw), do not tense it, or do so very gently.
- It is worth consulting with a doctor or physiotherapist to establish which movements are safe for you.
- Practice regularly, even for just a few minutes daily.
- With practice, relaxation becomes faster and more natural.
- You can record your own version of the exercise to use at home.
Natalia — since 2014 I've been living with trigeminal nerve pain. I write in plain language, based on reliable sources and personal experience. Read my story →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic facial pain condition. It manifests as sudden, severe, usually one-sided pain attacks — often described as an electric shock. A single attack typically lasts from a few seconds to about two minutes.
Which doctor should I see for facial pain?
First, see a neurologist. If surgery is being considered, a neurosurgeon. If a dental cause is suspected, it is also worth ruling it out with a dentist.
What is guided imagery and can it help with pain?
Guided imagery (visualization) is a relaxation technique where you use imagination to mentally visit a calm, safe place. Research shows it can lower stress, calm the nervous system, and reduce pain perception — especially helpful for chronic facial pain.
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