The Green Lantern, aka Hal Jordan (played by Ryan Reynolds), is a force for good in the universe, dimming the pain inflicted by Parallax.

And it turns out that green is a good color choice for a superhero dedicated to easing hurt. At least that's what researchers at Duke University Medical Center found in a preliminary study presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists' meeting.

The researchers said that they had fibromyalgia sufferers with chronic pain wear green-tinted glasses for four hours a day for two weeks. That resulted in participants' use of fewer opioids, and seemed to reduce their pain-related anxiety. 

How does it work?

The study found that certain wavelengths of green light stimulate the pathways in the brain that help manage pain.

That conclusion is supported by earlier research out of Banner-University Medical Center and the University of Arizona in Tucson. There, a small study indicated that green LED exposure was associated with reduced pain intensity in people with fibromyalgia and with fewer headache days for those with migraines.

The Arizona researchers speculate that if participants in the Duke study had worn the green-tinted glasses for eight to 12 weeks, instead of just two, the relief would have been significantly greater.

For 50.2 million American adults who report pain on most or every day, discovering a nondrug-related therapy is great news.

Green LED lights are available. And talk with your eye doctor about finding green-tinted glasses (not lime, not bright).

Go slow to see how you react.