2 of 18

Write now Article Tools

Its long been said that laughter is the language of the soul. The feeling you get from a really big belly laugh can take away the blues and calm any anger. Even when we're sick, just the thought of lying in bed with a bowl of soup and our favourite funny video can instantly lift our spirits. But why is this so?

Every ticklish person in the world can confirm that laughter in its self is a form of exercise. It works your diaphragm, abdominal, respiratory and facial muscles and depending on how you laugh, your arms, legs and back may also get a bit of a work out.

But it was an American journalist called Norman Cousins who in 1969 found that laughter had other medicinal values. It was in hospital, during his own battle with a debilitating disease, that Cousins decide his treatment with excessive amounts of painkillers wasn't working. He hired a nurse to look after him and headed home. But it was only when his nurse began telling him funny stories and anecdotes, on top of making him watch Marx Brothers movies, did Cousins realise that just 10 minuets of good laughter guaranteed him at least two hours of pain free sleep. He was soon off all medication and on his way to good health.

Cousins explained his findings in a subsequent article stating that while laughter was not the only reason he recovered it certainly helped him manage the extreme pain. The article was widely criticised by all in the medical community, and it wasn't until 1978 that Cousins findings were finally vindicated.

Research by Carl Simonton M.D. described that laughter's ability to be a pain killer and to fight tumorous cells was "outstanding" adding that "if people would start reducing their stress through laughter, there might be a reduction in the number of cancer patients altogether"

Further experiments have shown that laugher even the anticipation of laughter produces a chemical reaction with in the brain creating endorphins (the bodies' natural painkillers). The resultant feeling is similar to that of taking morphine (only with out the side effects) giving you a warm glowing feeling easing pain lowering your stress levels and building your immune system.

"The human race has only one effective weapon, and that's laughter. The moment it arises, all are hardness's yield, all our irritations and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place" Mark Twain

But it was in 1995 after doing some research for one of his medical journals that Dr Madan Kataria, from Bombay India, decided that

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Managing chronic pain with alternative therapies?
We want to hear your view. Write now!