The effectiveness of hypnosis for reducing procedure-related pain in children and adolescents: a comprehensive methodological review

Abstract

A comprehensive, methodologically informed review of studies of the effectiveness of hypnosis for reducing procedure-related pain in children and adolescents is provided. To be included in the review, studies were required to use a between-subjects or mixed model design in which hypnosis was compared with a control condition or an alternative intervention in reducing the procedure-related pain of patients younger than age 19. An exhaustive search identified 13 studies satisfying these criteria. Hypnosis was consistently found to be more effective than control conditions in alleviating discomfort associated with bone marrow aspirations, lumbar punctures, voiding cystourethograms, the Nuss procedure, and post-surgical pain. Furthermore, hypnosis was as at least as effective as distraction. Three hypnotic interventions met criteria as a possibly efficacious empirically supported therapy for reducing post-surgical or lumbar puncture pain. Several other hypnotic interventions would have achieved the status of a possibly efficacious therapy had studies used a treatment manual.

Optimizing pain management to facilitate Enhanced Recovery After Surgery pathways

“…94 Evidence also suggests that hypnosis can decrease pain after pediatric and adolescent surgeries and certain procedures (e.g., bone marrow aspiration), and it is at least as effective as distraction as an adjunct strategy for pain reduction. 95 …”

Hypnosis Before Diagnostic or Therapeutic Medical Procedures:A Systematic Review

“…In some studies, hypnosis was a rapid, cost-effective, and safe therapy (Lang et al, 2000;Lang & Rosen, 2002). Different systematic reviews on hypnosis in the medical setting were published in the last few years (Accardi & Milling, 2009;De Jong, Middelkoop, Faber, & Van Loey, 2007;Richardson, Smith, McCall, & Pilkington, 2006;Stinson, Yamada, Dickson, Lamba, & Stevens, 2008;Stoelb, Molton, Jensen, & Patterson, 2009;Uman, Chambers, McGrath, & Kisely, 2008). These systematic reviews were focused on a specific population with a specific medical procedure and included hypnotic interventions at unspecified time points in relation to a medical procedure.…”

“…The last study search was performed in October Downloaded by [Northeastern University] at 11:56 17 November 2014 2012. Reference lists from collected reports, reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses (Accardi & Milling, 2009;Bongarzt, 2002;De Jong et al, 2007;Montgomery, David, Winkel, Silverstein, & Bovbjerg, 2002;Richardson et al, 2006;Stinson et al, 2008;Stoelb et al, 2009;Uman, Chambers, McGrath, & Kisely, 2006;Uman et al, 2008) were examined to identify additional studies. Articles in all languages were considered.…”

Evaluation of 2-Stage Injection Technique in Children

“…The psychological approach includes behavior management techniques such as distraction 4 and hypnosis. 5 Physical means include various strategies such as topical anesthesia application, warming injection solution, increased injection time, reducing the needle diameter, and other recent techniques such as WAND, electronic dental anesthesia, and so forth. However, none of these techniques have been successful in eliminating fear and anxiety in children.…”