Posthypnotic use of olfactory stimulus for pain management.

Chronic pain due to disease or injury persists even after interventions to alleviate these conditions. Opiates are not always effective for the patient and have undesirable side effects. Hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment and may be enhanced by the use of olfactory stimulation as a posthypnotic cue. The article details 2 case reports that demonstrate the possible benefits of olfactory stimulus as an adjunct to hypnosis for pain relief.