Researchers have confirmed the pain-relieving effects of social support — even without verbal or physical contact. The authors assessed tenderness to pressure pain in 48 heterosexual couples where each participant was tested alone and in the passive presence of their partner. Dispositional empathy was quantified by a questionnaire.
In the presence of their partners, both men and women showed higher pain thresholds and tolerance as compared to the absence, as well as lower sensory and affective pain ratings to constant pressure stimuli. Partner empathy was positively associated with pain tolerance and inversely associated with sensory pain experience.
“Talk and touching have been repeatedly shown to reduce pain, but our research shows that even the passive presence of a romantic partner can reduce it and that partner's empathy can buffer affective distress during pain exposure,” said the researcher. /P>
