Video Games Can Provide Pain Relief

It's easy to tune out the rest of the world when you're playing a video game. Now researchers are discovering that entering such an intense play zone is an effective way to cope with pain.

In a study at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, 27 people played video games for ten minutes, each keeping one hand and forearm in a container of freezing water. Those playing sports and fighting games kept their hands submerged for a minute and a half longer than those playing puzzle and arcade games.

How does it help? It's all about distraction, says study author Bryan Raudenbush, PhD, a professor of psychology. "The games distract you from the pain. Your brain focuses more attention on the video game, and less on the pain." And sports and fighting games are especially beneficial, since they require a greater level of concentration than slower-paced challenges.