Right sniff can keep pain away

Sweet scents, such as the smell of roses or almonds, could help to relieve pain - but the effect seems to work only in women.

In a study by scientists at the University of Quebec, in Canada, women and men both said they felt better when they sniffed pleasant fragrances. Foul smells put both genders in a bad mood.

But only the women said the pain from holding their hand in very hot water lessened while smelling a sweet aroma and intensified when they sniffed vinegar or other foul smells.

Women are usually more sensitive to scents than men, but New Scientist magazine says that does not explain why sweet scents are a pain relief for women and not men, because both sexes rated the intensity of the pain the same.

"Pleasant sensations of touch are known to activate an area of the brain's frontal cortex used for taste and smell.

"So it's possible that smells could be altering the sensory processing of touch, pain and temperature by affecting this part of the brain in women."

- REUTERS

nzherald.co.nz/health