Hypnosis: a safe and potent pain reliever.(CR Health)

Discomfort during certain medical procedures can be reduced with the help of hypnosis. In a study in Wales of 80 cancer patients ages 6 to 16, for example, those who received hypnosis from a therapist reported less pain and anxiety, and demonstrated less distress than those who received only standard care when undergoing painful spinal cord punctures. A review of nine earlier studies, published in the June 2004 Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, concluded that there was enough positive evidence to warrant larger-scale investigations of the use of hypnosis in children with cancer.

Hypnosis may also relieve procedure-related pain in adults. A small …