Perhaps Lidocaine can help with compression from the mammo pad?! Good news to all women.

A research recently completed by St. Luke’s Mountain State Tumor Institute in Boise, Idaho, has found out that the discomfort and pain felt during the times of mammograms can be eased by a gel known as lidocaine gel.

Mammography is a proven procedure till date, which helps to screen women suffering for breast cancer. This technique helps in early detection and hence the treatment of the disease becomes possible. Its necessity is clearly apparent as of today breast cancer affects more women than any non skin cancer affects, with close to 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and 40,000 odd deaths per year in the US.

According to the researchers, it is said that an application of around 4 % of lidocaine gel, which is easily available at any chemist, significantly reduces the discomfort. Lidocaine is an anesthetic, and this should be removed completely before the procedure is conducted. The study was published very recently in the online edition of Radiology.

Mammograms causes pain for some women while it causes discomfort to others as breasts are squeezed between 2 metal plates. The Lidocaine was found to be much more effective than painkillers like Tylenol.