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Pain is basically what our brain does with the information from pain receptors. Does this mean we can eliminate pain by outsmarting the brain?
Researchers at University College London decided to ask themselves this question and started an experiment. Their goal: confusing the brain and making it doubt the information provided by pain receptors. What seems complicated at first glance quickly turned out to be a simple undertaking.
Crossed arms influenced the processing of pain stimuli
In fact, all the test subjects had to do was adopt an unusual posture – with their arms crossed. The researchers used a laser beam to produce a four-millisecond needle prick in the hands of eight people. The test was then repeated with arms crossed. The subjects’ brain waves were then measured using electroencephalography (EEG).
In the experiment, test subjects with crossed arms proved to be significantly more resistant to pain than those in a normal position. The change in posture seemed to hinder the transmission of the pain stimulus.
The brain is receptive to trickery
The reason: Our brain always compares two maps with each other – that of our body and that of our environment. If we feel pain in our right hand but cross our arms so that our right hand is in the place where our left hand should be (and vice versa), our brain is hindered in processing stimuli.
The result: The brain decides to doubt the pain information it received and attempts to restore the discrepancy between the two maps. However, it cannot process the pain stimulus as usual – the pain goes nowhere.
According to the researchers, this new discovery could lead to innovative clinical therapies for pain relief that take advantage of the way the brain processes stimuli.
