A new song has been written that can reduce the intensity of a painful headache, helping you tune out your pain.
It uses instrumental, orchestral and vocal elements to create a sense of 'wonder,' according to its co-creator, Dr Claire Howlin, from University College Dublin.
Named All of US, it was tested on 286 people suffering from acute pains including headache, backache and general muscle ache.
Funded by Nurofen, the testing found that All Of Us helped to reduce feelings of pain intensity and unpleasantness in a way that was clinically and statically significant.
It works through both distraction from the pain, and by convincing the brain to release a dose of the happy chemical, dopamine.
The new track is part of the Nurofen Tune Out Pain project that brings together experts from the worlds of science, pain management and music.
During testing, participants with different types of acute pain such as headache, backache or period pain reported their levels of pain intensity decreasing while listening to the track.
'This track reduced both pain intensity and unpleasantness and to achieve an effect of this size for a completely unfamiliar track, really underscores the potential of creating specific pieces of music for pain management,' she explained.
The full results of the Tune Out Pain study will be submitted to an academic journal for publication.
It is said that Dr. Howlin’s research into pain and music helped Anatole include certain elements that help distract people from suffering.
Researchers say that every beat, note and sound in the song has been designed to create a particular effect on the listener, based on the insights given by Dr. Howlin.
This project shows how powerful music is and its possible benefit to our wellbeing.
WHAT IS DOPAMINE?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is known to play a role in how our brains derives pleasure.
These gratifying activities increase the level of dopamine in the brain.
When we have too little dopamine, we tend to feel bored, unmotivated, or depressed.
Dopamine is produced in several parts of the brain, including in the hypothalamus.
Its effects on the brain depend on a few different factors, such as the types of neurons that its combined with.
