How is pain reduced during the biopsy?
There are several ways to reduce the pain in such procedures. The mainstay of pain reduction is local anesthesia using drugs such as lidocaine. Lidocaine functions to block pain from the skin and the periosteum. Other options include sedation by some antianxiety drugs like lorazepam given intravenously. Your doctor may also give you an opioid analgesic like morphine to block all sensations of pain. These measures ensure that no pain is felt at all. If opioid analgesics are not given, a slight pain may yet be felt when inserting the needle.
It is worth noting, however, that pain reduction technique is not universal, and your doctor will choose the method of pain reduction depending on your situation. Morphine isn’t always a good option and can cause side effects that are worse than the sharp, yet brief pain produced by the needle during aspiration. Your doctor will also talk you through the procedures to decrease your anxiety as much as possible since it is scientifically proven that anxiety is one of the most contributing factors to pain.