It might sound funny but there is strong evidence to suggest laughing can help to deal with pain.
The results – courtesy of Mentholatum, makers of Deep Relief pain relief gel – revealed laughter as a powerful method of dealing with physical discomfort.
Watching a TV comedy emerged as the most effective mood-altering method of dealing with pain. Other methods included grinning, seeing a partner or spending time with children and grandchildren.
This is backed up by research from the University of Californian, which asked women in steady relationships to submit to painful stimuli under a range of conditions. Across the board, pain scores were lower when they looked at photographs of their loved ones.
Pain expert and media medic Anna Mandeville said: “I’m not surprised that so many people have tuned into the power of the mind when it comes to pain management. There is a lot of evidence confirming the link between mood and our perception of pain.
“Aches and pains are a common symptom behind feeling sad and studies have shown that the deeper the depression, the more intense the pain. There are probably a number of factors at play, but one theory is that low mood increase the output of proteins called cytokines which trigger inflammation.”
Deep Relief is a clinically proven topical analgesic gel which attacks pain on two fronts. Always read the label.
