痛感，可能只是脑中的一种想法

你有没有想过，疼痛并不存在，而可能只存在于你的意念中？过去我们认为，痛感源于具体的某个身体部位，靠“痛感神经”传播。但近期，科学家们有了不同的发现，意念的改变能够加剧或减轻人们感受到的疼痛。我们能够判断疼痛程度的指标是什么呢？理解这一道理，对我们止痛有什么帮助呢？一起来听今天的课程讲解。

本篇课程首发于2019年12月18日

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If ‘Pain Is an Opinion,’ There Are Ways to Change Your Mind
By Austin Frakt
① One thing we tend to believe about pain, but is wrong, is that it always stems from a single, fixable source. Another is that pain is communicated from that source to our brains by “pain nerves.” That’s so wrong it’s called “the naïve view” by neuroscientists.
② In truth, pain is in our brain. Or as the author and neuroscientist V. S. Ramachandran put it, “Pain is an opinion.” We feel it because of how our brain interprets input transmitted to it from all our senses, not necessarily because of the inherent properties of the input itself.
③ According to many studies, the degree of pain is not a reliable indicator of the severity of injury. And sometimes there is pain without any tissue damage at all. Also, the fear or catastrophizing of pain contributes to a greater feeling of pain.
④ Pain is more like a conversation between the brain and the body. And like verbal conversations, it can be heated or calm. For example, pain can be lessened when we feel safe. Love, like safety, can also ease pain.
⑤ But it’s not a cure-all. We can’t think away all pain. “Understanding this complex relationship, along with re-engaging the body, is the first step toward loosening pain’s grip,” said Lorimer Moseley, a pain researcher at the University of South Australia.