Doing a bone-chilling workout can be downright painful. Nevertheless, many people choose to do it – up to several times a week. So perhaps there is a certain logic in what researchers from Tromsø have arrived at in their new study? They have found that people with a high level of activity tolerate pain better than others. In addition, they believe that the findings indicate that physical activity can be a good form of treatment for people with chronic ailments. And 27-year-old Runa Helen Olsen is a living example of that. – Like boiling water It was in 2019 that the pain came. Runa Helen Olsen had then operated on one foot a number of times. At the start of the corona pandemic, she was supposed to carry out another operation, but the appointment was postponed. This led to a pinched nerve. And this was the start of a lot of pain. – It was as if someone poured boiling water over the foot. It was extremely painful, she says to news. The doctors worked hard to find out what was wrong with the 27-year-old, and in the meantime she was put on large doses of morphine. Runa Helen Olsen is 27 years old and grew up in Øksnes municipality. Here on a trip with my girlfriend. Photo: Privat A rare diagnosis It was not until 2020 that Olsen was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This is something she will most likely have to live with for the rest of her life. Typical symptoms are intense, burning and cutting pain. In addition, the disease causes swelling, a change in skin color and hypersensitivity in the relevant area. About four years have now passed, and the 27-year-old woman who lives in Tromsø has learned to live with the situation. And there is one thing in particular that has made it all bearable – namely physical activity. An icy test The topic that the researchers in Tromsø have now studied has been researched in the past. But then only in small groups. Now they have used the Tromsø survey as a basis, and analyzed data from more than 10,000 Norwegians. In the new study, figures from 2007–2008, as well as figures from the survey in 2015–2016 were used. To test the pain threshold, the participants had to hold their hand in ice-cold water. The temperature was three degrees. – When you have your whole hand under the water, it is surprisingly painful. This means that you get a fairly good response. In addition, it is a safe way to test pain, and this is important when you have volunteers to participate. That’s what Anders Årnes says to news. He is a research fellow at UiT Norway’s Arctic University. In addition, the participants had to state their own level of activity via a questionnaire. The results of the study showed that participants who reported being physically active in both rounds of the Tromsø survey had a higher pain tolerance than those who reported a sedentary lifestyle. The higher the activity level – the higher the tolerance for pain. There was, however, one discovery that surprised the researchers. To test the level of pain, the participants had to lower their hand into an ice-cold tank of water. Photo: The Tromsø survey Gender differences? Initially, the researchers thought they were going to find differences in the pain threshold in men and women. – You should hardly say it, but we expected to see a gender difference when it comes to tolerating pain. It is unfortunately the case that women are quite clearly less tolerant than men, says researcher Årnes. He goes on to say that it is certainly the majority of women who struggle with chronic pain. And that there is also a difference in how the nervous system of the different sexes processes a pain signal. But the assumptions would still turn out to be wrong. – We found no significant difference between women and men in our statistics. And that’s a good thing, because it means that the effect will be more or less the same regardless of gender. Doctoral scholarship holder Anders Årnes at UiT Norway’s Arctic University. Photo: EDVARD HENRIKSEN Managing to shift focus Around 30 per cent of the Norwegian population say they live with long-term pain. Runa Helen Olsen from Tromsø is one of them. But in 2021, she replaced painkillers with physical activity. – I have very good experience that this reduces my pain. The activity helps me shift my focus. I have learned that pain is not dangerous. It’s not that the walks take away Olsen’s pains, but being out in motion makes her forget them. Now she also knows that she can cope with working life in a good way. – I was actually supposed to start work when the pain first appeared in 2019, so I have been on sick leave a lot since then. But in June I will be back in my full position, says the motivated nurse. The 27-year-old has received good help from a physiotherapist to cope with the pain. She no longer needs to use painkillers, as physical activity is enough. Photo: Private
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People who are physically active also have a higher pain threshold, according to Norwegian researchers – news Trøndelag
