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Further
evidence that psychology plays a critical role in the pain
experience is given by the placebo effect. Numerous studies
have confirmed that some individuals given placebos will
report a decrease in levels of pain. In 2004,
Wager and his colleagues used MRI to test whether or not the
placebo effect had a measurable basis in science governing
the brains’ response to pain. They told their subjects they
were testing a new pain-relieving cream. While monitoring
brain activity, volunteers were given shocks both with and
without the cream applied. The cream was merely a placebo,
not known to the subjects. Results showed a statistically
significant placebo effect pattern in the prefrontal cortex,
the area of the brain known for anticipation of pain relief,
indicating a definitive difference in cases with and without
the placebo. They theorized that this activity in the
prefrontal cortex triggered the release of endorphins in the
midbrain, thus reducing the overall pain experienced.
While there is no universal agreement as to how the placebo
effect alters the pain experience, it is widely accepted
that individuals who believe they are going to have imminent
pain relief often have a reduction in the severity of pain
suffered compared to those who have an imminent fear.
While
positive beliefs can reduce pain, conversely, negative
beliefs can exacerbate it. Recent pain research from
Nicholson & Verma (2004) in chronic neuropathic pain, for
example, demonstrates that the psychological state of the
patient as being integral to the entire condition.
Depression, anxiety, and fear are key components in the
overall prognosis of the chronic pain patient. Recovery in
these types of pain conditions cannot be independent of
psychological treatment. Dealing with the
emotional-personal underlying issues is an important part in
the overall pain management cycle. Maintaining a healthy
support system, a positive self-image, and an active
lifestyle within the range of abilities of the patient (in
severe disability, even if that means simply walking a few
steps a day); can have a demonstrative and positive impact
on overall quality of life and degree of pain and suffering.
Conclusion
Pain can
be considered a ‘good’ thing when it corresponds to a
damaging agent, acting as a protecting force against
bringing harm upon the body by signaling one to seek relief
and restoration. Unfortunately, not all pain serves this
purpose. Pain may exist as a problem unto itself, causing
its bearer to suffer in a manner that seems needless.
Because of this, it is of great importance that science
continues its push to understanding the underlying pathways
of the different types of pain, its casual forces, and the
methods upon which to effectively relieve it. Doing so will
bring immense relief to millions who suffer pain to a degree
far more than is necessary to protect against a noxious
agent. Furthermore, an individual’s personal beliefs and
psychological state can dramatically affect the level of
pain experienced whether for good or ill. Recognizing that
psychology plays an integral part in the overall experience
of pain is important, as it expands the study of pain beyond
that of physical causation.
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