How Therapy Dogs Can Help People Suffering from Chronic Pain

Fibromyalgia is a disabling chronic pain condition that can be challenging to diagnose and to treat. Unfortunately, the benefits from approved drug treatments are typically modest. Therefore, individuals who suffer from chronic pain generally control the symptoms of pain with a combination of non-drug and drug therapies. Often individuals who suffer from chronic pain manage their condition with a variety of complementary or alternative medicine. These include alternative therapies such as exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, spiritual healing, massage, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, homeopathy, Tai chi, yoga, and supplements.

For those with chronic pain, a calm companion animal can provide comfort and sometimes ease the pain. To evaluate if dog therapy would have any impact on patients with chronic pain, a group of scientists conducted a survey study.  The scientists randomly assigned people interested in participating in two groups. One group was assigned to interact with a therapy dog while waiting for a clinic appointment and the second group was assigned to wait for 15 minutes in a waiting room with magazines and television.

🐾  People that interacted with the therapy dog reported higher levels of calmness, pleasantness, and cheerfulness after meeting with the therapy dog.

🐾  About 35% of the individuals reported a reduction in pain after meeting with the therapy dog.

🐾  Significant improvements in pain and distress following a brief therapy dog visit were noted.

The simple act of petting a dog or positive interaction with a dog can release chemicals called endorphins in the brain.  These endorphins help relieve pain, stress and boost happiness. Although as pet owners we intuitively know that animals can have a profound positive effect in our health, scientists keep working hard to understand how these events happen empirically. There are accumulating scientific reports indicating that animal-assisted therapy can benefit a subgroup of people who suffer from chronic pain.  For some individuals with significant chronic pain, a therapy dog or service dog can be of tremendous help and life-transforming.