Crossing your fingers may help reduce pain

Conclusion This study investigated pain using a thermal grill trick, which applies hot and cold in different combinations to the index, middle and ring fingers to induce a phantom burning sensation. This showed that crossing your fingers may confuse the way your brain processes feelings of hot and cold, and in some cases stopped the phantom pain. The biggest limitation of this study is that it looked at phantom pain using the thermal grill trick, rather than actual pain. Phantom pain may be different from "normal" pain, so the results may not relate to a regular pain situation. We shouldn't get too hung up on the crossed finger idea, though. The concept behind it is more interesting. The study tentatively showed that pain might be influenced by how our bodies are organised in space, and relative inputs from different parts of your body. If found to be a regular and real occurrence through more research, this may have potential for use in pain management in healthcare. For example, The Guardian says: "Scientists believe the phenomenon could ultimately be harnessed to help treat chronic pain patients, who suffer from painful sensations, often long after a physical injury has healed." At present, this is largely speculative. The study only showed reduction in phantom pain, and only under a very specific and artificial set of circumstances. Research that is more relevant and applicable to real life would be the logical next step for this research field. ...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Mental health Neurology Source Type: news