If you are going for root canal treatment or a similar painful procedure, take your partner’s photo with you instead of taking painkillers!

According to researchers at the University of California, gazing at a picture of a loved one can alleviate pain. Past studies have consistently demonstrated a similar effect when holding hands with a romantic partner or another loved one.

In the above-mentioned American study, the research team went further. Participants were exposed to painful things while being shown different images, for example, an ordinary object, a photo of an acquaintance or loved one. In other cases, they were asked to hold something, for instance a stress ball, or the hand of an acquaintance or partner.

We saw lower pain ratings on average when people were holding their partner’s hand compared with a stranger’s hand or an object.

said Sarah L. Master, who led the study.

In addition, in both cases, looking at or holding different things in the presence of pain,’contact’ with the loved one had decreased the pain level the most.

What is most surprising: there was hardly any difference between the effect of the presence of a partner or just their photo!

The researchers believe that the mere reminder of our loved one may help us feel supported, possibly by prompting the production of chemicals in the brain that have pain relief effects (endogenous opioids).

Which is quite handy in today’s busy world where everyone rushes and works from morning to evening, so that our partner cannot be with us all the time. And usually, we have our sweetheart’s photo on our mobile anyway😊

In the Being in Love section of the ME MAP Young Adults book, we talk about what is behind this phenomenon, and you can also learn about the ‘love hormone lab’.

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Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/pain-relief-through-photos/