Accidents Happen: A Guide to Children's Emergencies

Chronic pain is something that many people experience on a daily basis. If you suffer from chronic pain, you might slowly begin losing interest in things that you once enjoyed. Your pain might make you feel tired and crabby, and it might stop you from moving around like you once did. If you can relate, you might want to consider finding ways to laugh more. Laughter is a natural form of pain relief. Here are two things that you should understand about this.

Laughter causes the release of endorphins

There are numerous ways to release endorphins in your brain, and laughing is one option you could try. Endorphins are chemicals released by your brain, and they are considered natural pain killers. Researchers often compare endorphins to the drug, morphine, because of the effects endorphins have on the body. 

When your brain releases endorphins, two things happen. The first is that pain is blocked. Endorphins target pain and block the transmissions it causes. The second effect of the release of endorphins is the good feelings they create.

In other words, when your brain releases endorphins, you will feel happier and less stressful. You will also feel less pain. While laughing might not take away all your pain, it may help ease the pain you are feeling.

You can make yourself laugh

If you are not in the mood to laugh because of the pain you are feeling, you should take some steps to try to get yourself in the right frame of mind to begin enjoying life and laughing. Here are some tips to help you find a way to laugh more:

• Call an old friend – Old friends have a way of making people feel better, and you might be able to get a good chuckle by calling a friend on the phone.
• Watch a comedy movie or sitcom – Many TV shows and movies are designed to make people laugh. If you are all alone and have no one to talk to, this might be a good way to find a laugh or two. It may also help you get your mind off the pain you are experiencing.
• Spend time with a child or baby – There is nothing more contagious than a smile from a baby. If you spend time with a young child or baby, you are sure to smile, and you may even start laughing.

When you find ways to laugh more in life, you may see a decrease in your pain. Having less pain will make you feel better and happier. If you would like to learn more about various forms of pain relief, talk to a professional at Potter's House Apothecary, Inc.