Can compassion help alleviate pain?
Is feeling pain in our heads? Can we overcome pain with simple human interaction? When placebos are given to a group of patients, and they feel better, this tells us that there’s a possibility that although pain is felt, it might be in our heads. However, compassion may be the key to reducing or eliminating pain.
According to a British Medical Journal, placebos were given to several patients in a study of Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. Group A was placed on a waiting list, Group B was given sham acupuncture, meaning the needles were incorrectly placed, and Group C was given sham acupuncture along with a caring clinician’s compassionate interaction.
Group A had no change. Group B admitted to feeling better. Group C stated that their pain was greatly better with compassion. This study goes to show that pain may very well be in our head. I’m not saying that pain is made up because we feel pain. It’s real. I’m just saying that our brain tells us when to feel pain. According to Dr. David Katz, MD with Prevention, "caring, human interaction is a vital component of good medical care and gives real hope to patients in pain. There is no substitute!" (1)
When therapeutic treatment is combined with benefits of hope, there is no syringe or capsule that can compare. Treating the patient as well as the symptom is the key for well-being.
Source:
shine.yahoo.com, David Katz, MD, Pain: Is It In Your Head? retrieved November 6, 2008 from http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/pain-is-it-all-in-your-head-157621/
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One Comment
Write a Comment»I think that compassion is wanting to help… I do not see compassion as — feeling their pain.
I am a Reiki Master and healing pain is fun for me — as long as I do not get emotionally involved. If I get too emotional about the client’s pain, I lose my ability to help them.