Bothered by pain? Consider a trip to Zambia, say John Hopkins researchers

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, U.S, have reported on a new study that will surely gladden the heart of the Zambian Ministry of Tourism. The conclusion of the study? Simply gazing at the amazing images of Victoria Falls on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border is enough to reduce the feeling of pain for many patients such as those on cancer treatment. Specifically, 120 people who are outpatients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) were evaluated.
BMAB is an unwanted long and painful procedure involving a large needle which is inserted into the back of the pelvic bone and bone marrow is drawn out, all using only local anesthesia. 44 patients were assigned a beautiful nature scene with accompanying calming sounds, 39 were assigned a typical city scene with city sounds and 37 were assigned standard care.
On a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the most painful and zero being minimum or no pain (known as the John Hopkins Instrument), patients were asked to rate their pain.
The Results
The control group, which had neither nature nor city scenes – on average marked BMAB as 5.7
While those patients exposed to the scenic nature images and calming sounds recorded an average of 3.9 on the pain scale, a very statistically significant reduction.
Patients exposed to the city scene and sound found the treatment just as painful as the control group.
The report concludes then that viewing a nature scene while listening to nature sounds is a safe, inexpensive method that may reduce pain during BMAB.

But before the Zambian tourism industry starts popping out the champagne, it is worth nothing that the researchers say the patients do not need to leave their sick bed. Just exposing the patients to the pictures and sounds while on their sick bed is good enough as breaking your wallet to visit the Victoria.

Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (September 2010: 965-972)