Our emotions or mood can alter the way we react to pain, according to Mathieu Roy, the author of a new study conducted at Columbia University in New York. The tests showed when pain is perceived by brain and how this pain can be worse when combined with negative feelings.
Together with his colleagues Roy exposed 13 participants to painful electric shock, which produced spontaneous reactions that could be measured. The moment after undergoing electric shock they were shown pictures that were either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Scientists simultaneously observed the participants’ brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Roy says they found that looking at unpleasant images right after getting electric shock amplified pain.
Therefore, non-drug treatments such as mood enhancing and listening to pleasant music can be used to help ease pain. These treatments are inexpensive and can be used almost with no restrictions. This especially makes sense for women during delivery as they need positive thoughts and pleasant environment to alleviate pain.
Source of the image: flickr.com/photos/obo-bobolina.
