Editing Laughter (section)

==Therapy==
Laughter has been used as a [[therapy|therapeutic]] tool for many years because it is a natural form of medicine. Laughter is available to everyone and it provides benefits to a person's physical, emotional, and social well being. Some of the benefits of using laughter therapy are that it can relieve stress and relax the whole body.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Modulation of neuroimmune parameters during the eustress of humor-associated mirthful laughter|journal = Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine|date = 2001-03-01|issn = 1078-6791|pmid = 11253418|pages = 62–72, 74–76|volume = 7|issue = 2|first1 = L. S.|last1 = Berk|first2 = D. L.|last2 = Felten|first3 = S. A.|last3 = Tan|first4 = B. B.|last4 = Bittman|first5 = J.|last5 = Westengard}}</ref> It can also boost the immune system and release [[endorphins]] to relieve pain.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = The effect of mirthful laughter on stress and natural killer cell activity|journal = Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine|date = 2003-04-01|issn = 1078-6791|pmid = 12652882|pages = 38–45|volume = 9|issue = 2|first1 = Mary P.|last1 = Bennett|first2 = Janice M.|last2 = Zeller|first3 = Lisa|last3 = Rosenberg|first4 = Judith|last4 = McCann}}</ref> Additionally, laughter can help prevent [[heart disease]] by increasing blood flow and improving the function of blood vessels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Humor-helps-your-heart-How_UCM_447039_Article.jsp|title=Humor helps your heart? How?|website=www.heart.org|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref> Some of the emotional benefits include diminishing [[anxiety]] or fear, improving overall mood, and adding joy to one's life. Laughter is also known to reduce allergic reactions in a preliminary study related to [[dust mite allergy]] sufferers.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = EFfect of humor on allergen-induced wheal reactions|journal = JAMA|date = 2001-02-14|issn = 0098-7484|pages = 738|volume = 285|issue = 6|doi = 10.1001/jama.285.6.738|pmid = 11176910|last1 = Kimata|first1 = H.}}</ref>

Laughter therapy also has some social benefits, such as strengthening relationships, improving teamwork and reducing conflicts, and making oneself more attractive to others. Therefore, whether a person is trying to cope with a terminal illness or just trying to manage their stress or anxiety levels, laughter therapy can be a significant enhancement to their life.<ref>"Laughter Therapy." Laughter Therapy: Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 1 January 2001. Web. accessed 28 February 2014.</ref><ref>Smith, Melinda, and Jeanne Segal. "Laughter Is the Best Medicine." ''The Health Benefits of Humor'', Helpguide.org, February 2014. Web. accessed 1 March 2014.</ref>

Ramon Mora-Ripoll in his study on ''The Therapeutic Value Of Laughter In Medicine,'' stated that laughter therapy is an inexpensive and simple tool that can be used in patient care.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Mora-Ripoll|first=R.|date=2010|title=The Therapeutic Value of Laughter in Medicine|journal=Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine|volume=16|issue=6|pages=56–64|pmid=21280463}}</ref> It is a tool that is only beneficial when experienced and shared. Care givers need to recognize the importance of laughter and possess the right attitude to pass it on. He went on to say that since this type of therapy is not widely practiced, health care providers will have to learn how to effectively use it. In another survey, researchers looked at how Occupational Therapists and other care givers viewed and used humor with patients as a means of therapy.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Leber, Vanoli|first=D. A., E. G.|date=March–April 2001|title=Therapeutic use of humor: occupational therapy clinicians perceptions and practices.|journal=American Journal of Occupational Therapy|volume=55|issue=2|pages=221–226|doi=10.5014/ajot.55.2.221|pmid=11761140|doi-access=}}</ref> Many agreed that while they believed it was beneficial to the patients, the proper training was lacking in order to effectively use It.<ref name=":1" /> Even though laughter and humor has been used therapeutically in medical conditions, according to Mora-Ripoll, there was not enough data to clearly establish that laughter could be used as an overall means of healing. It did suggest that additional research was still needed since "well-designed randomized controlled trials have not been conducted to date validating the therapeutic efficacy of laughter."<ref name=":0" />

In 2017, an institution in Japan conducted an open-label randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of laughter therapy on quality of life in patients with cancer.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal | last1=Morishima | first1=T | last2=Miyashiro | first2=I | last3=Inoue | first3=N | last4=Kitasaka | first4=M | last5=Akazawa | first5=T | last6=Higeno | first6=A | last7=Idota | first7=A | last8=Sato | first8=A | last9=Ohira | first9=T | last10=Sakon | first10=M | last11=Matsuura | first11=N | title=Effects of laughter therapy on quality of life in patients with cancer: An open-label, randomized controlled trial | journal=PLOS ONE | publisher=Public Library of Science | volume=14 | issue=6 | date=2019-06-27 | doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0219065 | page=e0219065 | pmid=31247017 | pmc=6597115 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2019PLoSO..1419065M }}</ref> The study used laughter yoga, comedy, clown and jokes. The result showed that laughter therapy was helpful in improving quality of life and cancer symptoms in some areas for cancer survivors. Improvements were seen in the area of depression, anxiety and stress levels. There were limited harmful side effects. Laughter therapy should be used in conjunction with other cancer treatment.<ref name=":2" />