Using laughter to treat pain
February 1, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
When writing about pain and disorders that cause pain, it’s easy to forget the lighter side of life sometimes. We’ve all heard the expression, Laughter is the best medicine, and although it may not cure, it sure as heck can help relieve some tension and make life more bearable sometimes.
People can find humor in the oddest places and at the oddest times. And sometimes, once that funny bone is tickled, you just can’t stop laughing.
When was the last time you had a real good belly laugh? The kind that made your sides feel like they were going to bust?
The medical community is beginning to take laughter seriously. In October 2007, the journal, Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, published an article called Laughter, Humor and Pain Perception in Children: A Pilot Study. The results showed that humorous distraction helped children deal with painful procedures.
The website RxLaughter.com has an extensive list of articles and studies that have been done on laughter and medicine: Research listings.
What strikes you as funny? What makes you really laugh out loud?
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I really do think that humor has a place in medicine–and this would be a great time to make a funny joke about it, but I can’t seem to think of a dang thing! Not enough coffee yet.
My taste is humor is eclectic, and often quite juvenile–I love a well-told dirty joke. Perhaps here is not the best place to share them, alas.
I just wish there was more access to humourous radio (like standup comedians on the radio). I’m even considering getting XM radio because they have a couple of radio stations devoted to humour. I know when I’m laughing, I’m not thinking about pain at all.
I tend to make jokes about my pain. Even when I have a migraine, I try to find something silly or funny to say about it. When I was having terrible back trouble thanks to poor posture during running, I would often make jokes about it. Somehow, that made me feel a little better.
Hi Crabby,
I know your humour (for others reading this, Crabby runs http://www.crankyfitness.com).
Maybe we should set up a page for giggles and laughs, and have it set up with a page for irreverant and potty humour.
Old Wife, thanks for posting. You make a good point. That gives me an idea… stay tuned!
Marijke
Definite YES! My husband says he married me because I laughed at his jokes. I like to laugh, and tell jokes (sometimes the naughtier the better). Humor is a GREAT stress relief mechanism. Gets us thru the day in the O.R.
Last belly laugh? At dinner last week with some co-workers and spouses. We started laughing at something that was said, then we all started laughing at me–I had sinus surgery only a few days before, and it hurt my nose to laugh, so I was holding my face and still laughing and that made everyone laugh even more! Poor waiter thought we were nuts….!
Angelique, sometimes that’s the only way to get through things, isn’t it>
Bonnie, I’ve had sinus pain so I can’t imagine how that must of felt.