A recent study suggests that individuals’ favorite songs can serve as potent painkillers, particularly when the music resonates with the listeners. Music has long been recognized for its pain-relieving qualities, with recent research even indicating its effectiveness for infants. However, this study reveals that personal favorite tunes might offer a more robust pain-relief effect compared to self-selected relaxing music.
The research underscores the significance of the emotional responses music can trigger in individuals. In a report published in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research, Darius Valevicius and his research team conducted an experiment involving 63 healthy participants. They were asked to visit the Roy Pain Laboratory at McGill University, where a probe device was employed to apply heat to a part of their left arm, simulating a sensation akin to holding a hot cup of coffee.
Throughout the process, the participants were exposed to various auditory conditions: listening to two of their favorite songs, relaxing music chosen for them, silence, or scrambled music. While exposed to these sounds or silence, the participants assessed the intensity and unpleasantness of the pain they experienced. Each participant went through all conditions for about seven minutes, encompassing eight pain stimulations and eight pain intensity assessments. After the auditory phase, the participants also rated their experience of listening to the music, their emotional arousal, and any physical sensations like shivers, tingling, or goosebumps, often referred to as “chills.”
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