Start practicing with 3,500 NCLEX Questions at: http://www.NursingPracticeQuestions.com View all NCLEX Practice Questions at: https://www.nrsng.com/nclex-questions/ Question: A nurse who is caring for a patient with chronic pain and recommends the patient undergoes relaxation therapy as part of pain management. How would relaxation therapy work in this situation? Answer: C. Relaxation decreases anxiety, which can cause muscle tension and contribute to pain Rationale: Relaxation exercises are useful in helping patients to stay calm and they may help with reducing symptoms of pain. Relaxation works by improving symptoms of anxiety, which can lead to muscle tension; this muscle tension further contributes to pain and may make the pain feel worse. By using relaxation, the patient may be able to reduce some of the contributing factors toward pain.