Scenes of nature 'reduces pain'

Looking at Victoria Falls could make it easier to deal with pain, researchers say Cancer patients who have to endure excruciating procedures on a daily basis may be able to lessen their pain - by being transported to Zambia.

The patient need not even leave their bed.

Continue reading the main storyRelated storiesChildren can 'imagine away' painWoman under hypnosis for surgery Just simply showing relaxing pictures of idyllic scenes and playing out relaxing sounds at a patient's bed is enough reduce the feeling of pain for many patients.

This is according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, United States.

They set up a series of tests analysing patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) - known to be a particularly painful form of cancer treatment.

A large needle is inserted into the back of the pelvic bone and bone marrow is drawn out. It can sometimes take up to ten minutes, and is often performed with just a local anaesthetic.

For some cancer sufferers, BMAB is a regular unwanted experience - and techniques such as hypnosis or sedation have been tested to try and help patients deal with the pain.