Nature helps to relieve physical pain

An international team of neuroscientists, led by the University of Vienna, has shown that experiencing nature, even in the form of watching nature videos, can alleviate acute physical pain. The team’s results, which have been published in the journal Nature Communications, suggest that nature-based therapy can be used as a complementary approach to pain management.

In order to better understand pain processing and identify treatment options, the researchers investigated how nature exposure influences pain. Participants suffering from pain were shown three types of videos: a nature scene, an indoor scene and an urban scene. The participants rated the pain while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

The results were clear: when viewing the nature scene, the participants not only reported less pain but also showed reduced activity in brain regions associated with pain processing. By analysing the brain data, the researchers showed that viewing nature reduced the raw sensory signal the brain receives when in pain.

“Pain is like a puzzle, made up of different pieces that are processed differently in the brain,” explained study lead Max Steininger, a doctoral student at the University of Vienna. “Some pieces of the puzzle relate to our emotional response to pain, such as how unpleasant we find it. Other pieces correspond to the physical signals underlying the painful experience, such as its location in the body and its intensity.

“Unlike placebos, which usually change our emotional response to pain, viewing nature changed how the brain processed early, raw sensory signals of pain. Thus, the effect appears to be less influenced by participants’ expectations, and more by changes in the underlying pain signals.”

Vienna’s Claus Lamm, head of research in the group, added: “From another ongoing study, we know that people consistently report feeling less pain when exposed to natural environments. However, the underlying reason for this has remained unclear — until now. Our study suggests that the brain reacts less to both the physical source and the intensity of the pain.”

The study provides important information on how nature can help alleviate pain and highlights that nature-based therapeutic approaches can be a useful addition to pain treatment. It also suggests that taking a walk outdoors may not be necessary — virtual nature, in the form of videos or virtual reality, appears to be effective as well. This opens up a wide range of possible applications in both the private and medical sectors, providing people with a simple and accessible way to relieve their pain.

Image credit: iStock.com/Akarawut Lohacharoenvanich