Virtual Reality Immersion Significantly Reduces Pain

  According to a study from Cedars-Sinai, virtual reality (VR) significantly reduced hospitalized patient's pain scores after just one 15 minute experience.
  Researchers state VR "hijacks" the senses....in a good way. They further attribute the benefit to "immersive distraction" in that the mind is deeply engaged in the immersive experience making it difficult to perceive other stimuli, including pain of varying etiologies.
JMIR Meant Health.2017;4:e9

Hypnosis: Brain Activity and Connectivity Changes Identified

  Stanford researchers using functional MRI have discovered changes in those highly hynotizable while undergoing hypnosis. First, a decrease in brain activity was seen in brain's salience network (dorsal anterior cingulate). Second, an increase in brain connections that help the brain process and control activity in our bodies (connections between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the insula). Lastly, reduced connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network (medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex).
  This study offers evidence that hypnosis is more than a swinging pocket watch it is a powerful means of changing the way we use our minds to control our body and our perceptions. One example: pain control.
Cereb Cortex. 2016 Jul 28

Lyrica Associated with Major Birth Defects

  From Researchers in Lausanne Switzerland, women that took Lyrica (pregabalin) for a variety of conditions (pain related) during their first trimester of pregnancy had infants with a much higher rate of major birth defects than matched control subjects not taking Lyrica.
Neurology Today
19 May 2016 Vol. 16 - Issue 10:pp1,12-15