Experiencing severe pains? Fret not. Munching a bar of chocolate or sipping a refreshing glass of water can give your relief, says a new study.
An international team, led by Chicago University, has carried out the study and found that the distraction of eating or drinking for pleasure acts as a natural painkiller, even in the absence of hunger or thirst, the' Daily Mail' reported.
According to researchers, a part of the brain called the raphe magnus helps blunt pain when eating or drinking. The same area eases pain while sleeping or going to the lavatory.
Although the findings come from studies on animals, researchers believe the same effect takes place in people. Lead researcher Dr Peggy Mason said the study found that the rats were less bothered by pain if they were eating a chocolate chip or drinking water.
"It's a strong, strong effect but it's not about hunger or appetite."She added:"If you have all this food in front of you that's easily available to reach out and get, you're not going to stop eating, for basically almost any reason.
The animals reacted to the heat by raising a paw off the floor. But the animals were much slower to raise their feet when they were eating or drinking than when they were not occupied with food and drink.
It made no difference whether the rats were eating chocolate or drinking water, despite past studies which found that only sugary food and drink protects against pain.
" This really shows it has nothing to do with calories. Water has no calories, saccharine has no sugar, but both have the same effect as a chocolate chip. It's really shocking,"Dr Mason said.
When the experiment was repeated with quinine, a bitter drink that rats find unpleasant, the animals reacted to heat as quickly as when they weren't eating. Eating chocolate made no difference if the rats were ill, although drinking water continued to delay their response to the hot floor.
According to the researchers, the latest findings could end the practice of using sweets to calm children when they visit the doctors.
" Ingestion is a painkiller but we don't need the sugar. So replace the doctor's lollipop with a drink of water,"Dr Mason said.
