Holding your hand: one way to reduce pain in the other

The touch between people produces an intercerebral synchronization that acts as an analgesic of physical pain, so that the act of holding the hand of someone who is suffering could be positive to reduce this suffering, according to a new study carried out by researchers of the Johns Hopkins University.

Skin with skin

The effect observed in this study involves a network that mainly involves the central regions of the pain target and the right hemisphere of the pain observer.

Although recent research highlights the role of observer empathy in pain relief, the contribution of social interaction to analgesia is unknown.

Also analgesia, and the proper neuronal and emotional development of babies has to do with attachment and skin-to-skin contact, as has been demonstrated for some time.

Before these discoveries, babies were not touched. Just a century ago, back in the 1920s, an authority on childcare such as John Watson came to affirm: "Never hug or kiss [your children], never let them sit on your lap. Do it once on the forehead when you wish them good night, in the morning, shake their hand. " All these misconceptions about parenting were corrected when psychologists demanded a change in child care, advising nurses, for example, to hold children in their arms to cuddle, caress, comfort and give them a sense of intimate contact.