Study finds 'dreaming the pain away' helps young abdominal pain sufferers

NEW YORK A new study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children that suffer with abdominal pain can take the pain away with their imagination.

By using relaxation music and imagining such scenarios as floating on a cloud, researchers found that the method led to improvements in the severity of pain. In the study, children had 20 minute sessions of "guided imagery", a concept which reduces discomfort while imagining a relaxed and peaceful environment.

The research followed on from studies showing hypnosis is an effective treatment for a range of conditions known as functional abdominal pain, which includes things like irritable bowel syndrome.

It has been estimated that frequent stomach pain with no identifiable cause affects up to 1-in-5 children, researchers said.