Reply #2: Interesting! I've heard reports like this for several years, but

[Orrex]

I don't know that I'd ever seen a study of a specific pain-relief effect. Of course, it's hard to assess whether it's actually pain or simply anxiety/fear, but I don't know that it makes a difference.

I've read about baby mice (I think it was mice) in labs that were stroked with a soft brush--like a makeup brush--to simulate cleaning by their mother's tongue. The ones that received the brushing fared better than those that did not.

Interesting though this is, I hope it doesn't lead to unjustified leaps such as "skin contact relieves pain in adults." That may or may not be the case, but this study doesn't address it one way or the other.

Neat story!