研究:數錢可止痛

Handling a wad of cash may be as good at killing pain than ibuprofen or aspirin, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota carried out a series of studies which revealed those who counted money before taking part in an experiment where they were subjected to low levels of pain felt less discomfort than those who did not.

It thought thatfondling notes and coins helps ward off pain by boosting feelings of self-worth and self-sufficiency.

Previous studies have shown those with a greater sense of self-worth may be more likely to withstand pain.

Britain spends at least £500 million a year on over-the-counter painkilling pills and the figure is increasing every year.

But scientists remain baffled by why some people appear to feel pain more easily than others.

In the latest study, a group of students were asked to count out a wad of cash consisting of 80 one-hundred dollar bills, or just 80 slips of blank paper. They had been told researchers were simply testing their dexterity in handling the notes.

Each volunteer was then asked to dip their hands into a bowl of very hot water, to see how painful they found it and how long they could last.

The results, published in a recent edition of the journal Psychological Science, showed those who had handled money reported less pain and lasted longer.

The results support other studies highlighting how the brain can be tuned to ward off pain without the use of pills.

A University of Los Angeles team of scientists found just looking at a photograph of a loved one can also be a powerful form of pain relief.

They recommended anyone visiting hospital for painful tests or examinations should bring a picture to help them cope.

And patients who have had major surgery, such as a knee or hip replacement, can halve the amount of painkilling medicine they need simply by stroking a pet, according to tests at Loyola University in Chicago.

一項最新研究表明，數鈔票的止痛效果堪比布洛芬或阿司匹林等止痛藥物。

明尼蘇達大學的研究人員開展了一系列研究，他們讓研究對象在參加一項承受輕度疼痛的實驗前數錢，結果發現這些人比之前沒數錢的人感到的痛感輕。

研究認爲，數錢能帶來自我價值感和自我滿足感，從而有助於止痛。

此前的研究顯示，那些自我價值感較高的人承受疼痛的能力更強。

英國每年在非處方止痛藥物上的花費至少爲5億英鎊，而且這一數字還在逐年增加。

但科學家仍不明白爲什麼有些人似乎比其他人更容易感覺到疼痛。

在這項最新的研究中，研究人員讓一組學生數一疊80張100美元的鈔票或80張空白的紙片，並告訴他們這只是爲了測試他們點鈔的熟練程度。

接下來研究人員讓每位志願者把手浸入一碗很燙的開水中，以觀察他們感到的疼痛程度，以及能夠堅持多久。

這一在最新一期《心理科學》期刊上發表的研究報告顯示，那些之前數過錢的人感到的疼痛較輕，且堅持得更久。

這一結果爲其他一些強調在不用止痛藥的情況下通過調控大腦來止痛的研究提供了支持。

洛杉磯大學的一組科研人員發現，看看自己所愛的人的照片也能有效緩解疼痛。

他們建議，去醫院進行痛苦的身體檢查的人應該帶一張這樣的照片來幫助自己緩解疼痛。

芝加哥洛約拉大學所做的測試發現，那些做了膝關節或髖關節置換術等大手術的病人只需摸摸寵物就能讓止痛藥的用量減半。

Vocabulary:

ibuprofen: a drug used to reduce pain and inflammation 布洛芬，異丁苯丙酸（鎮痛消炎藥）

fondle: touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner 撫弄

ward off: prevent from affecting you or harming you避開

over-the-counter: (of drugs and medicines) that can be obtained without a prescription（藥品）無需處方可買到的；非處方的

count out: 點數，逐一地數

wad: a thick pile of pieces of paper, paper money, etc. folded or rolled together （紙張、鈔票等的）卷，沓，捆