Implications of Nocebo in Anaesthesia Care

Abstract

(Anaesthesia. 2022;77(suppl 1):11–20. doi: 10.1111/anae.15601)

Nocebo, sometimes recognized as the adverse counterpart to placebo, refers to an increased pain sensitivity related to a previous experience or communication that confers a negative expectation for the course of an intervention. These unfavorable responses potentially can be mitigated by certain presentation tactics by providers. Conversely, the lack of awareness of the nocebo effect in provider interactions and other situational circumstances may, intentionally or unintentionally, induce or exacerbate “real” side-effects that are unpleasant for the patient. The literature attributes many factors to the patient’s experience of nocebo and brings the potential for this consideration to enter into every physician-patient anesthesia encounter.