In Pain? Just Say 'Om'

Women undergoing natural childbirth have long endorsed the concept that you can think your way past the pain. Using meditation or guided imagery, it's possible to transcend pain, at least to some degree.

Two new studies provide more evidence that something as simple as thinking about a pretty image can help with mild pain. In one study, researchers at the University of Montreal gave 13 study participants mildly painful electric shocks which caused a knee-jerk reaction that could be measured by magnetic resonance imaging. During the shocks, participants were shown a series of images that were pleasant (such as water-skiing in summer), vicious (a bear) or neutral (a book). They found that the pain of the shocks was perceived as being worse when people were looking at unpleasant pictures. The study was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (More)

Source: LA Times