Wearing green glasses for several hours a day can reduce anxiety related to severe pain experienced by fibromyalgia patients.
- Fibromyalgia is more common in women and peaks in frequency between the ages of 40 and 50.
- Globally, Western countries are the most affected by this syndrome.
- Pain and anxiety share similar biological mechanisms.
In France, approximately 1.5 to 2% of the population are said to be affected by fibromyalgia syndrome, which is characterized by diffuse and persistent pain and sensitivity to pressure. For the time being, the exact cause of this chronic pathology is unknown. Thus, there is no specific treatment allowing its cure. To improve the quality of life of patients, doctors can advise them on psychological care if necessary, physical rehabilitation or second-line analgesics.
34 patients wore glasses of different shades 4 hours/day
Apart from these different types of care, there are few alternatives, in particular non-medicinal, to fight against fibromyalgia. This is why American scientists have tried to find a way to relieve pain. For this, they made a studythe results of which were recently presented at the annual conference Anesthesiology 2022.
As part of the work, the researchers recruited 34 people affected by fibromyalgia. They were randomly assigned to wear glasses of different tints four hours a day for two weeks. In detail, 10 participants wore blue glasses, 12 had benefited from clear glasses and 12 wore green glasses.
Fibromyalgia: reduced anxiety thanks to the wearing of green glasses
According to the results, volunteers who wore green glasses were four times more likely to see their anxiety decrease than those in the other groups. The authors noted that they also relied less on opioids, “proving that their pain was properly controlled.”
“Our research has revealed that certain wavelengths of green light stimulate pathways in the brain that help manage pain. There is an urgent need for additional treatments to reduce opioid use in patients with fibromyalgia and diabetes ‘other types of chronic pain, and green glasses may be an easy-to-use, drug-free option’ said Padma Gulur, lead author of the work, in a statement.
