Surprising New Pain Relief Methods

If you are one of the more than 100 million Americans suffering with chronic pain, you know how desperate you can get searching for relief. For constant or chronic pain, sometimes knowing that you can only get temporary relief from medications sits at the back of your brain and sets up pain anticipation. Shouldn’t there be a better way, an approach or approaches that don’t rely on pharmaceutical drugs to combat pain? According to new research, there are some new pain relief methods that look very promising to do just that. Treatment from Strangers Mat Provide Unexpected Pain Relief It may seem counter-intuitive, yet a study conducted by researchers from the University of Wuerzburg, Amsterdam and Zurich found that participants treated for pain by strangers (medical professionals from a different social group) experienced stronger pain relief than when they received pain treatment by someone from their own social group. Participants rated their pain “less intense” after being treated by strangers, and the reactions were reductions in both subjective and pain-related activation areas of the brain corresponding to the pain. Researchers call this “prediction error learning,” otherwise known as the analgesic effect of surprise. Patients didn’t expect to experience pain relief from strangers, and the less they expected to receive pain relief, the greater their surprise and the more pronounced their actual pain relief afterward. Higher Mindfulness May Lessen Pain Long ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Chronic Pain Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Mindfulness Psychology Research Treatment Source Type: blogs