An Analysis of Variations in Pain Perception in Dominant vs Non dominant Side of the Body.
Advisor: Dr. Araci
Internship Location: Modern Hair Restoration and Aesthetics
Onsite Mentor: Andy Ngyuen
Understanding the perception of pain is a widely debated and highly researched topic, and through different medical procedures, it is important for people and even researchers and doctors to know which side of their or patients’ body experiences more pain. Emerging research suggests that pain perception varies between the left and right sides of the body, driven by complex neuropsychological mechanisms. Traditionally, the left hemisphere has been associated with logic, language, and analytical thinking, while the right hemisphere is connected to creativity, imagination, and intuition. These differences have shown to also lead to pain perception received differently on different sides of the body. Pain perception starts with nociceptors, specialized receptors that detect harmful stimuli like extreme temperatures or physical damage. When activated, these receptors send signals through peripheral nerves to the spinal cord and then to the brain, where the pain is processed in regions responsible for sensory discrimination, emotional response, and autonomic reactions (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Pain, et al). My goal is to identify the relationship between pain perception and lateralization, through laser hair removal. Through my observations and research on neuropsychological theories about lateral pain perception, the study explores connections between pain lateralization, brain function, and emotional factors. This study will use a survey-based approach, combining a structured quantitative and qualitative survey with a random sample of 50 patients in a hair removal clinic. Participants will report pain levels on both sides of the body and provide information about their dominance, and professional background. The results of this experiment can help inform medical practices by offering insights into the lateralization of pain and its psychological correlates, potentially aiding in improved, personalized pain management.
Project Blog
Week 0: Introduction
Hi everyone! My name is Samhita, and this is the first blog post of my senior project. In this post, I will discuss some background information and introduce my research on pain perception and its connection to body dominance.
Pain perception is a complex process influenced by various factors, including neurological pathways, emotional responses, and individual differences in sensitivity. In my research, I aim to explore whether pain perception varies between the dominant and non-dominant sides of the body. Prior studies suggest that left-sided pain may be associated with higher emotional distress, while right-sided pain may exhibit different characteristics, possibly influenced by stress and gender. This topic fascinates me because understanding lateral pain perception could improve medical practices and patient care, particularly in pain management strategies.
My research analyzes variations in pain perception between the left and right sides of the body during laser hair removal. I will conduct a study involving 50 patients at a hair removal clinic, using a structured survey to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Participants will report their pain levels on a scale of 1-10 for both sides of their body and provide information about their dominance (right-handed, left-handed, or ambidextrous).
I will calculate the correlation coefficient (R-value) to analyze the data and examine the relationship between handedness and pain perception scores. Visualizing this data through scatter plots will allow me to assess patterns and identify potential trends in pain lateralization. Additionally, I will standardize pain rating benchmarks to ensure consistency across responses.
Understanding the laterality of pain perception can have practical applications in medical and everyday settings. For example, medical professionals could consider using the side with a higher pain threshold for administering injections or drawing blood. Similarly, individuals could make more informed decisions about which side of their body to choose for tattoos or piercings. Recognizing how biological and psychological factors contribute to pain can help clinicians develop more personalized pain management strategies, particularly for chronic pain patients.
By the end of my project, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between dominance and pain perception. Stay tuned for my next post, where I will dive into the initial findings!
Week 1: The beginning!
Hello everyone!
This first week of my senior project and I have been learning so much. The goal of my project is to determine if there is a correlation between pain perception and body dominance. I began by setting up the surveys at the reception desk, ensuring they were available as each patient arrived for their appointment. Since maintaining the integrity of the experiment is crucial, I carefully monitored the process to make sure that no one picked up the survey before their treatment, as any pre-procedure responses could skew the data.
Once their appointment concluded, I took the time to explain the purpose of my project to each patient, letting them know how their participation would contribute to a better understanding of pain perception and body dominance. Many patients were intrigued by the study and willingly filled out the surveys, which will provide valuable data points.
While patients were undergoing their treatments, I used the time to research. I read and annotated research papers on pain perception, examining factors that influence how individuals experience and report pain. I also studied the technical aspects of laser therapy, so that I had a thorough understanding of the procedure and how it might impact pain responses. Additionally, I began researching different methods of data visualization, so that I could learn how to create graphs that would best clearly represent my findings. Around 10 participants have filled out the survey, so I can estimate around 50-60 participants in the experiment.
This week has helped me with my organizational and research skills and has shown me how applicable this project will be to everyone. I look forward to analyzing the data I collect in the coming weeks and discovering patterns that could provide meaningful insights into the relationship between pain, body dominance, and laser therapy. See you next week!
Week 2: A New Idea!
Hello everyone!
This week I had to get back into the routine as I was in Costa Rica for a bit. I went back to the clinic and set up the surveys I printed for this week. I began by placing the surveys at the reception desk, ensuring that each patient received one after their appointment to maintain the integrity of the experiment. Since pre-procedure responses could skew the data, I carefully monitored the process to ensure accuracy. Once their appointment concluded, I decided to explain the purpose of my study to each patient, emphasizing how their participation would contribute to a better understanding of pain perception and body dominance. Many patients were intrigued by the project and willingly completed the surveys, which will provide valuable data points for my research.
Rather than continuously explaining my study, I decided to create a small pamphlet that explains the idea behind the study and what my goals are with this project. This will not only help the participants but also ensure consistency in the information they receive. By having a pamphlet readily available, patients can read about the study at their convenience, and they can understand its purpose before filling out the survey. This also saves time during the post-procedure discussions, as I no longer need to individually explain every detail to each participant.
Additionally, the pamphlet includes a brief overview of pain perception, body dominance, and the potential implications of my findings. I designed it to be clear, concise, and engaging, so participants feel more connected to the research process. With this new approach, I hope to streamline data collection while maintaining the participants’ interest and involvement in the study. See you all next week!
Week 3: Research, Research, Research
Hello everyone!
As my study progressed into its third week, I focused on refining my data collection methods and ensuring a smooth process for patients and clinic staff. One of the key improvements this week was organizing the completed surveys more systematically. Rather than simply collecting them at the reception desk, I implemented a secure drop-box system to ensure patient anonymity and prevent any influence on responses. This small adjustment has already made data collection more efficient and structured.
I also started handing out my pamphlets, which have proven successful. Some patients still had questions about the study’s purpose and potential impact, which I was more than happy to answer. However, most patients appreciated the pamphlet and even shared that they would take it home to show their families about the study.
Beyond improving the logistics of my study, I also started analyzing some preliminary data trends. While I won’t jump to conclusions yet, early patterns suggest interesting variations in pain perception based on body dominance. This initial glimpse into the data is exciting and has been motivating me to keep my research going and ensure my methods are extremely accurate to add depth to my findings. I’m excited to do my next round of data collection, and I’ll be sure to report next week!
Post 5: New Trends
Hello everyone! I have around half the targeted sample size I wanted for this project which means I should have concrete results by the end of this experiment. I have started figuring out how to set up my data in terms of graphs to effectively visualize trends in pain perception between the dominant and non-dominant sides of the body.
As I continue collecting data, I am exploring different ways to present my findings clearly and concisely. I plan to use R-value and scatter plots to highlight any significant differences, as well as line graphs to track trends across various participants. My goal is to ensure that the visual representations make it easy to interpret key patterns and any potential correlations that emerge from the study.
Once I reach my full sample size, I’ll run statistical analyses to validate my findings and finalize the graphical presentation. I’m excited to see how the data comes together and will keep you all updated as I progress toward the final stages of this project. Thank you and see you guys next week!
Week 5: Graphs, Graphs, Graphs
Hello everyone! I’m excited to share that I’ve gathered more than half of my targeted sample size for this project, bringing me closer to achieving concrete results by the end of the experiment. As I continue to collect data, I’m also refining how I’ll present my findings to effectively convey trends in pain perception between the dominant and non-dominant sides of the body. I’ve been noticing multiple trends not just in pain perception and body dominance, but also in terms of whether the patient has done laser before
My data is coming together as I am working on the different graphs to incorporate into my presentation. I have been learning a lot as I am making scatter plots to visualize significant differences and calculate R-values to measure the strength of correlations. Additionally, I’ll incorporate line graphs to illustrate trends across participants.
I’m excited to see how the data takes shape and am eager to share my progress as I move toward the final stages of this study. Thank you for reading!
Week 6: Nitty Gritty
Hello everyone! I am in my 6th week of senior project and I have been trying to do more of my data analysis. I am still trying to get up to the 50 surveys mark so I have also been handing them out.
My data analysis is coming together as I work on creating visualizations for my presentation. I'm generating scatter plots to examine the relationship between pain perception and factors like body dominance and body side (left vs. right). For each scatter plot, I calculate the Pearson correlation coefficient (R-value) to assess the strength and direction of the relationships. For example, I’m analyzing whether individuals with higher self-reported pain levels experience more intense pain on their non-dominant side.
In addition to scatter plots, I’m designing line graphs to show how pain perception trends vary across participants. These graphs track pain scores for each individual across different test conditions, helping to illustrate patterns such as whether pain consistently increases on one side of the body or if there's a noticeable difference between dominant and non-dominant sides.
As I build these graphs, I’m also focusing on making them clear and presentation-ready—adding titles, labeling axes, color-coding based on dominance, and including error bars where necessary to show variability in responses. That’s it for this week, see you next week!
Week 7: Meaningful Conversations
Hey everyone! I’m now in week 7 of my senior project, and I’ve been continuing to analyze data and refine my visualizations. I’m still collecting responses—closing in on my goal of 50 surveys—while polishing my scatter plots and line graphs. I'm calculating correlation coefficients and continuing to look for patterns in how pain perception varies by body side and dominance.
I had an extremely insightful interaction with a patient when I was handing out surveys after their session. We started talking about pain management, and she mentioned how she always feels more discomfort on her left side, even though she's right-handed. That small conversation made me excited as it connected directly with the trends I’ve been seeing in my data. It also reminded me that behind every data point is a real person with a unique pain experience. Moments like these help me remember that my project is making an impact in the real world and will help emphasize the importance of understanding individual variation in pain perception.
As I keep working on this project, I am reminded of how it may impact others, not only in this clinic, but in general as well. See you next week!
Week 8: Visuals
Hello everyone!
I am still collecting surveys; however, with a fuller data set, I’ve started noticing subtle yet consistent trends, especially in how people describe their pain intensity based on body dominance. Interestingly, while right-handed participants often report higher sensitivity on their non-dominant (left) side, a small subgroup experiences the opposite, challenging the general assumption and pushing me to think more critically about what might be influencing this variation.
One challenge I'm navigating now is how to statistically account for some of the questions on the surveys without creating confusion in the data. I want to make sure my visuals are as clear as possible, but still present all the data that I have collected. I’ll be working on refining my visuals even more this coming week and hopefully start writing some of my paper. See you next week!
Week 8: Near the finish line
Hello everyone!
I’ve officially wrapped up survey collection, and having a complete data set has significantly deepened the direction of my analysis. With the responses, I’ve started writing my paper and am actively working on finalizing the graphs that will visually support my findings.
As I organize my results section, one of the ongoing challenges is how to account for variations in the survey responses, more subjective questions, without changing the clarity of the data. I’ve been experimenting with different types of graphs and charts to find the most effective way to communicate these nuances while maintaining statistical rigor. This coming week, my goal is to refine those visuals further and strengthen the narrative thread of my paper, especially in the discussion section, where I’ll begin to connect my findings to broader literature on brain lateralization and sensory processing. See you next week!
Post 11: The Final Stretch
Hey everyone!
I’ve officially finished collecting data, and now that I have the full set of responses, it’s really helped shape how I’m thinking about the analysis. I’ve finished making all the graphs and I’m glad to say that they show clear trends in my study.
The main trend that came through this study was that those who are right handed feel more pain on their left side, and those who are left handed feel more pain on their right side, which supports my initial hypothesis.
I’ve also finished my paper and am glad that it is coming together next week. I am excited to share my results and present them. Thank you all for following this journey!