Lidocaine eases discomfort of mammograms

The anesthetic lidocaine, applied to the breasts as a topical gel, may help reduce the pain of mammograms.  Researchers studied 418 women who expected pain from mammograms.
The women were randomly assigned to receive placebos or pre-mammogram over-the-counter painkillers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen with or without the lidocaine gel.  Results showed the painkillers did not reduce breast discomfort but women who received the lidocaine said they experienced less discomfort.  The study was conducted by the St. Luke's Mountain States Tumour Institute in Boise, Idaho.