Nature reduces pain for Cancer patients

Cancer patients experienced a significant reduction of pain when introduced to an environment that eluded nature through appearance and sound. Unfortunately, part of dealing with Cancer is all the tests one has to endure, most of which can be quite uncomfortable and in many cases cause considerable pain. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore carried out a study to determine the effects of bring nature into the patient's room.

The patients in question were undergoing the uncomfortable procedure of bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB). This procedure is one of the dreaded treatments linked to Cancer treatment; it is known for being quite painful. There were three different groups of patients. One group was exposed to a beautiful idyllic picture of running water accompanied with the sound of birds chirping and leaves. Another group was exposed to a picture of a busy urban location; busy streets, cars and traffic. The last group was exposed to nothing except an ordinary surgery room.

The study found that those looking at the Urban Street just felt pain. Those who had nothing to focus on expressed a pain level of 5.7 but those who were focused on the nature picture and sounds had a reduced pain level of 3.9. That is a considerable reduction in pain tolerance.

By making treatment rooms more relaxing by adding a few pictures depicting different scenes in nature and offering nature sounds through headphones is an inexpensive way to reduce pain for patients.