A 34-year-old woman presents with constant disabling headaches of two years after hospitalization with Louisiana Encephalitis. No more headaches after hypnosis. Young lady of 24 referred with a three-year history of Fibromyalgia. Six hypnosis sessions later she was back to running five miles a day and pain free. 31-year-old nurse referred with severe suffering from Tic Douloureux. She had over 99 severe hot poker shooting pains from her cheek to her eye daily. After three visits she went from 99 very painful tics a day to 1-2 non-painful twitches per day. The list goes on. Constant post surgical bladder pain for two years is now pain free. Back pain for five years - now pain free. Neck pain three years - pain free. Cancer pain two months - pain free. Stating it simply, "Hypnosis works." It has a very high success rate while being non invasive and free of harmful side effects. "Side effect" may include sleeping better, feeling better, less stress, healthier eating, enhanced immune system and, best of all, the feeling of having control of one's pain. Pain Defined According to the American Pain Society (APS), pain is an "unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage." Pain is the number one reason that Americans seek medical attention. Approximately one out of three people are diagnosed with chronic (recurring) pain each year. Why Hypnosis? Whether using medication or hypnosis, the goals of controlling pain are to limit suffering, preserve hope, and restore participation in life activities. Only hypnosis, however, addresses both the sensory and emotional aspects of pain. What the Experts Say Hypnosis was endorsed in 1958 by the American Medical Association (AMA) as an adjunct in a multidisciplinary setting or as stand-alone therapy for pain management National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel has stated evidence that hypnosis is effective in alleviating chronic pain associated with various cancers, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory mouth conditions, temporomandibular disorders, and tension headaches Joint Commission Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) Standards place special emphasis on non-pharmacological methods of pain management, which includes hypnosis. Techniques that can be used to reduce or eliminate pain are: *Direct suggestion to lessen pain that may include creating glove anesthesia (numbing of the hand, which can be transferred to the painful area) *Relaxation using progressive relaxation and direct suggestions * Distraction by engaging the attention on something other than the pain. The focus is on a safe place, a hobby, a vacation - anything that is a distracting image and appeals to the person in pain. * Displacement, which is transferring pain from one area of the body to another. * Dissociation of pain, which is the ability to become detached from the immediate environment. Summary Hypnosis has a multi-centennial history as one of the first and foremost enduring modalities in pain management. Its effectiveness is documented based on the research of notable universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Columbia. In proper perspective, hypnosis may not only relieve pain, but also help to maintain the dignity and well being of the client or patient without dependence on large quantities of medications. |
