Pain relief may be influenced by a patient's mindset or expectation that a treatment will work. According to Science Daily, the Human Pain Research Group at the University of Manchester studied a group of 40 pain-free volunteers. Twenty-four of the 40 study participants received a moderately painful heat stimulus applied to both arms. The participants were then given a placebo cream and informed that the cream on one of the arms was a local anesthetic. After the cream was applied, the intensity of the pain stimulus was decreased without informing the participants and then returned to its original intensity.

Unlike the 16 people in the control group, 67 percent of the treatment group continued to believe the heat was less painful because of their expectation that the cream was working. Endorphins, the body's natural painkiller, are released along with an expectation of pain relief. Researchers concluded that response to placebo is variable. In this study:

• One-third of participants reported reduced pain intensity in the "treated arm" only.
• Another third reported reduced pain intensity in both arms.
• Participants in the remaining third were not influenced by the application of the cream.

Understanding the variability of placebo response may be helpful in future pain studies. The advice of your doctor or nurse may influence your mindset regarding the effectiveness of treatment.

Related Resources:

• The Pain Relief Quiz
• Arthritis Patients Vary in Pain Perception
• Pain Management: Ways to Manage Your Pain
• Placebo Effect Linked to Changes in Brain Chemistry

_{Photo by Nicholas Sutcliffe (iStockphoto)}