Adjunctive non-pharmacological analgesic for invasive procedures
Principle investigator, Elvira Lang, MD, of the Department of Radiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, in a study co-funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Office for Alternative Medicine, published these findings in the April, 2000 issue of The Lancet, Vol 355, pp.1486-1490:
When 241 patients were undergoing percutaneous vascular and renal procedures (translation: either invasive balloon angioplasties, or going after blood clots in the leg, or draining urine from an obstructed kidney -- i.e., your basic, roto-rooter, clear-the-pipes, surgical procedure), they were randomly assigned to receive either standard care, or "structured attention" (meaning they had their own health care person at their side, offering reassurance, answering questions, and proffering solicitous support); or the structured attention along with relaxation, self-hypnosis and imagery guidance of the David Spiegel variety (roll your eyes up and close the lids, breathe deeply, concentrate on the sensation of floating, and remember a safe and pleasant experience.).
