Various studies have shown that the simple act of touching the person we love can act as a pain reliever. Now, new research suggests that even being in the presence of a loved one can help reduce pain.
A 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that when a person holds their partner’s hand, they become more resistant to painful stimuli. He suggested that this happens because when we touch someone we love, our brain waves are synchronized, making painful stimuli seem less painful.
But could the simple presence of our loved one have the same effect?
The new work by researchers from the University of Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology in Hall, Austria, and the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, believes so.
According to the researchers, just being in the same room as our romantic partner can improve our tolerance for pain, even if they are not holding hands or hugging, or without any verbal support. The conclusions of the present study appear in the Scandinavian Journal of Pain.
“To expand our knowledge about the role of individual differences in the modulation of social pain, the present study aimed to investigate the implications of dispositional empathy, which refers to a stable trait tendency to be aware of and indirectly experience thoughts , feelings and perceptions of another “, explain the authors.
Reduce acute pain
For their study, the researchers recruited 48 heterosexual couples, where the couples had an average age of 25-40 years and the couples had been together for an average period of 3.22 years.
To assess each partner’s empathy, the researchers asked them to complete a questionnaire. They then tested how each person reacted to pressure pain under two different experimental conditions: when they were alone and when they were in the presence of their partner.
In the second scenario, the partner, although present in the room, remained completely passive, without touching or speaking to his partner. To measure pain sensitivity each time, the researchers used a special tool known as a pressure algometer.
The team found that both men and women appeared to be more resistant to pain when in the presence of their romantic partner. Also, the higher the romantic partner’s level of empathy, the higher their tolerance for pain.
“Repeated talking and touching have been shown to reduce pain, but our research shows that even the passive presence of a romantic partner can reduce it, and that partner empathy can dampen affective distress during pain exposure,” says Stefan. Duschek, leader of the work.
Study limitations
However, the authors also admit that their study has some limitations. For example, the researchers caution that the participants may have felt less pain when their partner was in the same room simply because their presence distracted them from the painful sensation.
“The possibility that the pain reduction to some extent is due to distraction caused by the mere presence of the partner, rather than actual support, cannot be ruled out,” the experts write.
Still, the team concludes that their findings do indicate a significant effect of the romantic bond on pain sensitivity: “Despite the restrictions, the study provided evidence that the presence of a romantic partner is effective in reducing even acute pain. without their active feedback, and that this effect increases with the couple’s empathy. “
Referencia: Dispositional empathy is associated with experimental pain reduction during provision of social support by romantic partners. Stefan Duschek / Lena Nassauer / Casandra I. Montoro / Angela Bair / Pedro Montoya Published Online: 2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2019-0025 Scandinavian Journal of Pain.
