Nature exposure induces analgesic effects by acting on nociception-related neural processing

Nature exposure induces analgesic effects by acting on nociception-related neural processing

Nature exposure has numerous health benefits and might reduce self-reported acute pain. Given the multi-faceted and subjective quality of pain and methodological limitations of prior research, it is unclear whether the evidence indicates genuine analgesic effects or results from domain-general effects and subjective reporting biases. This preregistered neuroimaging study investigates how nature modulates nociception-related and domain-general br…

Just looking at images of nature can relieve pain, study finds

Simply looking at nature -- or even just digital pictures of it -- can relieve pain, according to new research which scanned the brains of people receiving electrical shocks.

Catarina Craveiro, a biomedical research technician from Lisbon, had suffered from back pain due to scoliosis since childhood, was unable to do many physical activities and relied on ibuprofen for relief. Read more (03/16/2025)

A team of scientists has found that looking at scenes of nature not only 'distracts' from pain, but literally reduces the pain signals your brain processes. This revolutionary finding, published in Nature Communications, could transform how we treat chronic pain without resorting to drugs. Next time you feel pain, the solution could be as close as a window overlooking a park.

Nature, even in virtual form, can alleviate pain by reducing brain activity related to its perception, a discovery that could improve its management in a simple way, according to a study, AFP reports.  

And now we finally know why this is so. More than forty years ago, American researcher Roger Ulrich discovered something special: hospital patients with a view of greenery needed fewer painkillers and recovered faster than those who looked at a brick wall. In the meantime, many studies have shown that people feel less pain when they […] More science? Read the latest articles on Scientias.nl .