An unanticipated allergic reaction to a hypnotic suggestion for anesthesia: a brief communication and commentary.

During a demonstration of hypnotically induced anesthesia and following a suggestion for a Novocain-like numbness, a totally unanticipated and dramatic swelling of 1 cheek appeared. The participant had forgotten to inform the psychologist that she had experienced the identical reaction to Novocain when she received an injection a few weeks earlier. The swelling was quickly removed by a countersuggestion based upon a simulated injection of the antidote previously administered by the dentist.