Complementary Pain Therapies

We offer non-medicine pain therapies that can be used as part of your child’s treatment plan to help reduce pain.

In addition to pain medications, we use alternatives to medications to help your child with pain and stress. These complementary therapies can be used alone or with medicine, depending on your child's needs.

Our non-medicine pain therapies include:

• Activities like imaginative play and everyday routines, which give kids a chance to focus on things other than pain and discomfort.
• Acupuncture in the Pediatric Acupuncture Clinic
• Aromatherapy using the essential oils of certain plants to promote relaxation and healing.
• Biofeedback, an assisted relaxation training technique that teaches child to monitor and reduce pain.
• Breathing techniques to help children relax and provide distraction from pain.
• Guided imagery—using visual images, music and positive thinking—to reduce pain and promote relaxation and healing.
  • We created ​videos for our patients, parents and staff to help them relax or cope during difficult times:
    • Progressive Relaxation
    • Guided Imagery (ages 6 to 12)
    • Guided Imagery (ages 12 and older)
• Infant/pediatric massage designed especially for infants and young children to help relax and comfort babies.
• Micro-current point stimulation, which uses ultrasound stimulation of nerves and muscle to help prevent and control pain.
• Music therapy to help children express moods and feelings, relax, and focus on something besides pain.
• Pet therapy.
• Physical therapy using methods like heat or cold therapy, aquatic therapy or manual therapy such as massage. 
• TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), which uses stimulation of the skin to relieve pain by interfering with nerve signals.
• Therapeutic touch to help children relax and reduce anxiety.

Read more:

Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?

As essential oils have been growing in popularity, Harpreet Gujral, DNP, FNP-BC, and Rachel Dawkins, M.D., share insights on children and essential oil safety.

Read More