by Karen Chaffee

Created on: December 12, 2009

While there are still skeptics in the realm of traditional medicine, practioners of alternative medicine acknowledge that there is, indeed, a growing body of evidence showing that hypnosis has positive benefits in helping patients with disabilities and the resultant chronic pain they suffer. 

-What Is Hypnosis

By dictionary definition, hypnosis is an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by a heightened susceptibility to suggestion. This could also be likened to the "power of positive persuasion."

Though it has probably been practiced for much longer, the first documented uses of, and definitions for, hypnosis have been around since the 1800's. In Hypnosis for chronic pain management: A new hope, Pain, Volume 146, M. Jensen defines hypnosis this way: 

"an induction followed by a suggestion (or set of suggestions) ... for changes in subjective experience, alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought, or behavior."

So basically, hypnosis helps patients with disabilities that are related to chronic pain alter the way they think of and experience that pain.  The goal, then, is to reduce the intensity and frequency of the kind of pain that leads to physical disability. Hypnosis also seeks to serve as a way to reduce the negative emotional impact chronic pain inflicts on patients, regardless of the source of the pain.

-How Hypnosis Is Helping Patients With Disabilities Stemming From Chronic Pain

While pain can be experienced anywhere in the body, pain signals originate in the brain.  This is where hypnosis enters the picture. When that trance of a sleep-like state is reached, suggestions for ways to decrease pain are taught to the patient. The quickness with which a patient learns to "control" his or her brain patterns, to learn the suggested ways to reduce the pain, will determine how many sessions with a qualified hypno-therapist are required. The average number is 5 sessions of 90 minutes each at a cost of between $110-$175, though both can vary.  

When a patient, through hypnosis, is actually taught to moderate their own brain activity in a way to effectively reduce pain, they can move more easily, sleep better, feel more emotionally positive, and accomplish more in the way of work and pleasure in a days time.

"Hypnotic analgesia" is effective for chronic pain management in many cases, but not all, patients with disabilities. The common myths that hypnosis can make one doing something against his or will, or can result in such a deep sleep that one will not wake are simply not true.

-In Conclusion

If you've sought many other avenues that have failed, or if you wish to find something that works with (or without) prescribed medication and physical therapy, hypnosis has been proven to be worth a try.

Sources:

Jensen, M. (2009). Hypnosis for chronic pain management: A new hope Pain DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2009.06.027

Hypnosis for chronic pain management: A new hope
Pain, Volume 146, Issue 3, Pages 235-237
M. Jensen
http://www.wellsphere.com/

http://www.sandiegohypnosis.com/YourHypnosisSession. asp

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