Visualizing a safe place reduces procedural pain

Visualizing a safe place reduces operative pain, according to research. Nurses guided patients into a trance and found it helped patients cope with pain and anxiety during ablation of atrial fibrillation. "When the patient expresses pain, the nurse helps the patient visualize an alternative scenario to the invasive procedure. For example, if the patient says 'my chest is burning', the nurse may say 'imagine that it's a cold day and there is ice on your chest.'" a researcher explained