RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether language and word choice can reduce patients' perception of pain experienced during colposcopy with biopsies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women reporting for colposcopy at an academic medical center were randomized to hear standard language or gentle, non-pain-based language during colposcopy with biopsy and/or endocervical curettage. Participants then rated their pain during the procedure on a 10-cm visual analog scale. The pain scores among the 2 groups were compared using a Student t test. RESULTS: Both women hearing standard language and those hearing gentle language during colposcopy reported low pain during the procedure (3.1 and 2.9, respectively), which was not significantly different between groups (p=.80). CONCLUSIONS: Although gentle language has been shown to effectively reduce pain associated with other procedures, it did not reduce the pain associated with colposcopy and biopsies in this study.