Stress and pain are intimately related. When being in pain causes stress or being stressed
worsens pain, psychological therapies -- including hypnosis, meditation, and relaxation -- may
help break the cycle.
For pain therapists, these treatments, which focus on the relationship between the mind and
body, are considered mainstream. For other health professionals, they may be considered
alternative or complementary therapies. Regardless of how they are labeled, there is evidence
that for many people they work.
If you're considering trying one of these approaches to pain relief, here's what you need to
know:
Hypnosis
For many, hypnosis brings to mind a parlour game or nightclub act, where a man with a
swinging watch gets volunteers to walk like a chicken or bark like a dog. But clinical, or medical
hypnosis is more than fun and games. It is an altered state of awareness used by licensed
therapists to treat psychological or physical problems.
During hypnosis, the conscious part of the brain is temporarily tuned out as the person focuses
on relaxation and lets go of distracting thoughts. When our minds are concentrated and
focused, we are able to use them more powerfully. When hypnotized, a person may experience
physiologic changes, such as a slowing of the pulse and respiration, and an increase in alpha
brain waves. The person may also become more open to specific suggestions and goals, such
as reducing pain.
Benefits of Hypnosis
Research has shown medical hypnosis to be helpful for acute and chronic pain. In 1996, a
panel of the National Institutes of Health found hypnosis to be effective in easing cancer pain.
More recent studies have demonstrated its effectiveness for pain related to burns, cancer,
and rheumatoid arthritis and reduction of anxiety associated with surgery.
If you want to try hypnosis, you can expect to see a practitioner by yourself for a course of
1-hour or half-hour treatments, although some practitioners may start with a longer initial
consultation and follow up with 10- to 15-minute appointments. Your therapist can give you a
post-hypnotic suggestion that will enable you to induce self-hypnosis after the treatment course
is completed.
(...to be continued)
Source: WebMD Article
Courtesy: Health Prior 21

