Is laughter the best medicine?

It may or may not be the best medicine, but it can help those in chronic pain and is certainly no joke. 

In Proverbs 17:22 it states: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” We do not think that many of us are interested in having dry bones. Laughter can increase our intake of oxygen, thereby improving heart, lung, and muscle function, as well as enhancing the release of endorphins in the brain. Anger and negativity can result in increased stress and diminished immune response. Whereas laughter and positivity result in the opposite, diminished stress, and improved immune response. Multiple studies have shown an increase in pain tolerance after a good heartfelt laugh.

Whatever your current approach to managing your pain, Advanced Spine and Pain (ASAP) recommends that it include a regular and healthy dose of laughter.