Particular groups of acupuncture points are believed to control specific areas of pain sensation. The procedure has been used as an anesthetic in China and elsewhere to treat many types of pain, but its usefulness for cancer patients has not been proven. Most doctors believe that it is not harmful as long as the needles are sterile. Acupuncture should not be used for patients who are getting chemotherapy because of the danger of increased bleeding where the needles are placed. No one knows how hypnosis works to control pain.
Hypnosis is a trance-like state that can be brought on by a person trained in special techniques.
During hypnosis, a person is very receptive to suggestions made by the hypnotist. Some cancer patients have learned methods of self-hypnosis that they use to control pain. However, it's hard to predict when hypnosis will work for pain relief.