Pain-free COVID-19 Injection (AMAZING!)
As the COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out all across the US, millions of people have an important decision to make:
To get the vaccine, or not to get the vaccine?
Personally, I think that some people SHOULD get it, while others should AVOID it. (Read more about that here.)
But if the fear of a painful needle is keeping you away, I have something that can help with that.
It’s a simple, free technique scientifically proven to reduce the pain of needle injections.
I’m always amazed at how the body works.
When you experience pain, your natural reaction is to grimace with your face.
It’s a facial expression that happens spontaneously as a result of a painful stimulus, but did you know that it can actually reduce the intensity of the pain?
Interestingly, it can have that effect whether the facial expression is tied to a feeling (ie, the pain itself), or whether it’s as a result of facial muscles being manipulated into an expression (by researchers).
Even more interestingly, smiling can have the same effect.
Researchers set out to determine if facial expression—whether smiling or grimacing—could measurably reduce the pain caused by a needle.
For the study, 231 people received a shot of a saline solution similar to a vaccine needle. Before and during the shot, the people had one of four facial expressions:
- A sincere smile (called a Duchenne smile, which is one that causes wrinkles around the eyes)
- A non-Duchenne smile
- A grimace
- A neutral expression
The Duchenne smile and grimace groups both reported 40 percent less pain compared to the neutral group.
The Duchenne group also had significantly lower heart rates, indicating that smiling can help reduce a stress-induced physiological response in your body.
Incredible!
You’ve probably heard the expression smiling through the pain.
It turns out that sage advice won’t just help your emotional wellbeing… it could literally reduce your perception of pain.
If you decide to get the COVID-19 vaccine, try to smile, go with someone you love, and take deep breaths—all have been shown to reduce the sensation of pain.
