While working in the nursery at the hospital for my clinical rotation one day we gave an infant a dum dum(the candy) to lick on prior to performing a circumcision. I was told that its used as a form of pain management and that it had something to do with the sugar in the candy. Can anyone explain how this works to block pain sensation?
2006-11-22 07:12:35 · 5 answers · asked by sweetc_82 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Actually, the sucrose solution (Sweet-Ease) that is commonly used in hospitals realeases endogenous opiates to relieve pain. It works tremendously well for infants up to 6 months as a pre-med before minor procedures: IV starts, occ. catheterizations, etc. I have used this many times for babies in the Peds ICU where I used to work.
It is a 24% solution, though, so probably a lot stronger than a dum dum!
Ed C., RN, BSN, CCRN
2006-11-22 09:12:15 · answer #1 · answered by edcarter79 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It really is true that sugar is a natural anesthetic in infants. I worked in a nursery and assisted doctors during circumcision. We didn't use lollipops, but a large cotton Q-tip soaked in sugar water. It DOES help, but doesn't alleviate the pain entirely. The little boys will cry out anyway. And, as heart-wrenching as it is, they get through it just fine and heal with no or minimal complications in most cases.
2006-11-22 15:58:09 · answer #2 · answered by adstidamrn 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like someone made off with the real pain relieving lollipops.
2006-11-22 15:16:23 · answer #3 · answered by beckini 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Distraction. If you really need to urinate, and someone has you concentrate on something else, it takes your mind off of it. Similar tactics are used by the military to train soldiers to be able to withstand torture. Many times they tell you to think of your family or a loved one, or pleasant things so the pain will not be as great. Apparently it works, because theyve been using similar tactics to withstand torture for years.
2006-11-22 15:23:03 · answer #4 · answered by snared_by_falcon 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Sugar has no effect on pain. There must have been some sort of anaesthetic in the lollipop.
2006-11-22 15:21:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋