Joint pain

“Pain is a brain problem,” says Anthony Jones, M.D., a professor of neuro-rheumatology at Manchester University in the U.K. who studies how manipulating your brain waves can ease pain. Brain-wave training, which typically consists of flashing lights and/or sounds, teaches the brain to increase creation of a particular frequency of brain waves, he explains. “We found that increasing the expression of alpha waves resulted in a painkilling effect.”

In studies, a 10-minute session yielded an instant 17% reduction in pain; repeated sessions led to an 82% reduction. To get the benefits, try the BrainTap headset ($647) and app. The service is typically $20 a month, but BrainTap is offering FIRST readers a discount: 30 days for 99 cents at BrainTap. com/gift. Prefer a DIY approach? Dr. Jones advises listening to sounds in the alpha frequency. Just search “alpha beats” on YouTube, then relax and listen.