By Vanessa Krohn / 2023-08-25
From the sudden agony of stepping on a Lego block to persistent aching from chronic conditions, everyone experiences pain. Sometimes we know the pain will subside quickly and we can just tough it out, but other times it’s more than we can (or want to) handle on our own. The quest for pain relief has led humans to explore a vast array of treatments, from traditional painkillers to alternative therapies like massages and ice packs. Pain is an essential evolutionary mechanism, serving to ensure our survival and reproduction. Even so, I’m sure most people would opt to take an Advil to stop a headache rather than worrying about the growth of our family tree.
In this blog post, I delve into the fascinating world of research in pain management, focusing on how distraction and the flow experience can influence pain perception positively, and how this fascinating research can be used to develop more effective and personalized pain management techniques.