Scientists talked about ways to reduce pain in children with cancer

Children with cancer may experience pain not only because of the disease itself, but also during treatment. Medical procedures involving injections, blood collection, and other interventions can be particularly unpleasant. In addition to physical sensations, they are often accompanied by fear and anxiety. Researchers have studied whether psychological methods can help children to tolerate such situations more easily. The results of the work can be found in the Izvestia article.

Pain during treatment

Researchers from Griffith University in Australia conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 randomized controlled trials. More than 2 thousand children who were undergoing cancer treatment participated in them. The works were carried out in 16 countries and were published from 1982 to 2025. The results of the review were published in the journal Pain.

Researcher Karin Plummer evaluated the effectiveness of several approaches: hypnosis, distracting techniques, virtual reality, and practices aimed at the interaction of mental state and physical sensations. However, a significant part of the available data related to pain during medical procedures, such as needle insertion and lumbar punctures.

The authors analyzed not only the intensity of pain, but also the emotional stress associated with it. This is important because fear and anxiety can increase unpleasant sensations and make medical interventions more difficult for the child.

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What methods were studied?

Hypnosis, distracting strategies, and approaches based on the interaction of mind and body proved to be the most effective for reducing pain in the studies reviewed. Hypnosis in this case involves the use of special psychological techniques that help the child focus on certain images and sensations. Distractions can include games, stories, and other activities that allow you to switch from an unpleasant routine.

Virtual reality, other technological methods, hypnosis, and distraction have shown positive results in reducing pain-related anxiety. For example, immersion in a virtual environment can shift a child's attention during a medical intervention. However, the review does not allow us to assert that the same method works equally well for all children and for all procedures.

Psychological approaches do not eliminate the medical cause of pain. They are primarily aimed at changing the perception of unpleasant sensations and the emotional reaction to them. Therefore, the results of the study relate to additional ways to support patients, and not to an alternative to medical anesthesia.

The connection between pain and anxiety

Pain and emotional state can affect each other. During medical procedures, a child may expect unpleasant sensations in advance, be afraid of an injection, or worry about the unknown. Such tension can enhance the subjective perception of pain. Psychological methods in this case are aimed at reducing fear and switching attention.

The review examined different ways of influencing the emotional response. In addition to hypnosis and distraction, scientists have studied the practices of mind-body interaction. These include approaches that help a person pay attention to their own feelings and regulate their stress response. At the same time, the results for individual methods differed, so they cannot be combined into one universal technique.

The authors also draw attention to the fact that psychological stress affects not only children, but also their loved ones. Parents accompany the child during treatment and may feel helpless when they see his pain. Therefore, when evaluating supportive care, it is important to take into account the emotional state of the family.

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Opportunities and limitations

The study summarized the results of already conducted clinical trials, but did not test all of the listed methods in a single experiment. Therefore, based on its results, it is impossible to determine exactly which approach is best for a particular child or how long the effect lasts. In addition, a significant part of the work was devoted to pain during procedures, rather than the constant sensations associated with the disease itself.

Plummer emphasized that psychological interventions can play a role in comprehensive care for children with cancer, along with medications and other support methods. However, the authors do not claim that hypnosis, distraction, or mindfulness practices can replace medical pain relief.

The parent of a child undergoing cancer treatment, Anneke Vanderham, said that pain and related experiences are becoming a serious ordeal for the whole family. According to her, psychological support can make the treatment experience less traumatic for children and their loved ones. Thus, the review shows that psychological methods can influence the perception of pain and anxiety in children during cancer treatment. At the same time, the effectiveness of individual approaches has yet to be studied in more detail, and the results obtained do not negate the need for medical care and pain control by specialists.