Mindfulness meditation trumps placebo in pain reduction

New evidence has been found that mindfulness meditation reduces pain more effectively than placebo. The study used a two-pronged approach -- pain ratings and brain imaging -- to determine whether mindfulness meditation is merely a placebo effect. Seventy-five healthy, pain-free participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: mindfulness meditation, placebo meditation ("sham" meditation), placebo analgesic cream (petroleum jelly) or control.