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The Magic Glove for Pain and Anxiety Reduction (2026)

Leora Kuttner

Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, BC Children’s Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Correspondence: leora_kuttner@sfu.ca

Keywords: Analgesia; needle pain; imagination; pediatric; sensory change

The Magic Glove (MG) has gained popularity worldwide in pediatric care as a useful and effective hypnotic intervention for IV access, bloodwork, and infusions, as it effectively addresses and reduces both anxiety and pain (Coogle et al., 2021; Hosseini et al., 2026; Kuttner, 2012, 2020; Lauder & Kuttner, 2024; Sencion et al., 2024).  More recently, it has been applied in pre- and peri-anesthesia, where its benefits as a quick, engaging, imaginative technique are being investigated by pediatric anesthesiologists at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.[1]

Originally used hypnotically with adults as “the Glove,” it has been adapted to children since the late 1970s for IV access (back of the hand), bloodwork (cubital fossa), and IM injections (deltoid muscle) (See video on YouTube: Kuttner, 2016).

The Magic Glove is one of the only hypnosis techniques to rely on touch: a gentle, warm clinician’s touch directly on the patient’s skin concurrently with hypnotic suggestions for protection, comfort, sensation alteration, and “not being bothered by the needle procedures” (Kuttner, 2010; Lauder & Kuttner, 2024).

It is essential that the hypnotic suggestions are said in step with physically stroking the (imaginary) magic glove onto one of the patient’s hands, held in the clinician’s upheld palm. Invite the child to tell what kind of glove it is, a princess’s or astronaut’s glove, a winter mitten, or even a baseball glove.

“Notice how this Magic Glove (or the child’s selected glove) is protecting your hand… feel how, as it goes on, it soothes and protects you, so that you will not be bothered by anything. You will know what is happening, but you’ll be surprised that the procedure will not bother you.”

Protocol for Successful Application of the Magic Glove

  • Your hands need to be warm. If your hands are cold, run them under warm water.
  • Ensure you are carrying the full weight of the patient’s hand and arm in your upturned palm. If there is guarding or the patient has not ‘let-go’ of the hand into your palm, the MG will not take effect. If you don’t feel full weight, gently press the patient’s arm down and say, “Just let go, I can hold the full weight.” Repeat until you feel the arm releasing into yours.
  • Use your palm, not your fingertips, as they do not convey enough sensory comfort.
  • Use the “Goldilocks” touch, that is, “not too hard and not too soft, but just right!”
  • Put the glove on, starting at the fingertips and moving up to just beyond the wrist. The important sensation is your warm palm over the back of their hand.
  • Cinch the end point of the Glove pressing your forefinger and thumb together around the patient’s wrist. This important movement indicates to the child’s brain where the glove ends = end of the sensory alteration.
  • Lift your hand after cinching the end of the glove, then start over at the fingertips to stroke the glove on again. (Do not drag your hand down as this reverses the sensory change!)
  • Repeat this one-way movement with your warm palm over the patient’s palm at least 5 or 6 times, while repeating the hypnotic suggestions of comfort and protection.

Testing for Sensory Alteration

  • After 5/6 movement, place the MG on, test by starting with the non-gloved hand.
  • Check the level of analgesia using a sharp pencil. Rest the weight of the pencil on 3 separate sites on the back of the hand, saying: “This hand does not have the Magic Glove, so this is full sensation, 10 out of 10.”
  • Test exactly the same way using the same weight of the pencil across 3 different sites on the back of the MG hand. Children are sensitive to adults’ cheating, so ensure your method is exactly the same, while you say: “Now this hand has your MG. What is the amount of feeling on this hand out of 10? 10/10 is full feeling, 5/10 is half and 1 or 0/10 is very little or no feeling. How much out of 10 does this feel like?” With a very young child, you can use “a lot, half, or just a little feeling.”
  • For any number the patient reports that is less than 10, say “Good!”, as sensory change has started. To help change become stronger, say: Let’s make the glove more snug so you can experience more protection and comfort.” Continue to place the glove on the supported hand 3 or 4 more times, from fingers to cinching the same demarcated wrist site.
  • Once a further reduced number is reported, say: “The MG is working to protect you so that you know what’s happening but are not bothered by anything.” And if appropriate: “Now you’re ready for the procedure. You’ll be surprised how the MG will continue to protect you, until we take it off.”

Note: MG can be placed over a topical anesthesia patch on the hand, such as EMLA (a mixture of anesthetics).

Removal of the Magic Glove

  • Once the procedure is complete, it is important to remove the MG to ensure sensation returns to normal.
  • Starting at the wrist, reverse the action by pulling off the MG, saying, “We’re taking off the MG so that all your sensation and feeling can return to normal.” Invite the patient to ring the two hands together as if washing them, as this quickly normalizes feeling in both hands. This can take a minute or two.
  • Test the non-MG hand first “This is 10/10 normal sensation” then test the MG hand. If it still feels different, do more hand wringing (cross-lateralization) to accelerate the return of normal sensation.
  • Give the child the MG saying: “Here is your MG to use whenever you need — it’s yours!”
  • Parents can be instructed on how to use the MG with their child for many different medical procedures, including Port-a-cath or Hickman line access.

 

Note

[1] As reported at a Pain Clinic Meeting at the BC Children’s Hospital on March 24, 2026.

 

References

Coogle, J., Coogle, B., & Quezada, J. (2021). Hypnosis in the treatment of pediatric functional neurological disorder: The magic glove technique. Pediatric Neurology, 125, 20-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2021.08.011

Hosseini, A.S.S., Rostamian, F., & Haghanic, S. (2026). The effect of the magic glove technique on pain and anxiety in children during leuprolide injection: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 86 (2026) 375–382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2025.11.032

Kuttner, L. (2010). A child in pain: What health professionals can do to help. Crown House Publishing, Carmarthen.

Kuttner, L. (2012). Pediatric hypnosis: Pre-, peri-, and post-anesthesia. Pediatric Anesthesia, 22(6), 573–577. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9592.2012.03860.x

Kuttner, L. (2016, July 13). The magic glove [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyApK8Z_SQQ

Kuttner, L. (2020). Pediatric hypnosis: Treatment that adds and rarely subtracts. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 68(1), 16–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2020.1685329

Lauder, G., & Kuttner, L. (2024). Innovative change not as yet fully integrated in pediatric anesthesia. Pediatric Anesthesia, 34(8), 697-700. https://doi.org/10.1111/pan.14942

Sencion, A., Radesca, D., Boggia, B., Botto G., & Zunino C. (2024). Application of the “magic glove” hypnoanalgesia technique in patients with hemophilia during venipuncture procedures. Archivos de Pediatría del Uruguay 95(2), Article e213. https://doi.org/10.31134/ap.95.2.2