Hypnosis for pain control

How does hypnosis help with pain? The honest answer to this is we don’t know, although there is a long history of it being used in this way. John Elliotson (1791-1868), for example, a professor at London University Hospital, found that patients could undergo major surgery using trance as their only anaesthetic.

And in 1846 James Esdaile, who had worked in hospitals in India, submitted reports to the Medical Association of several thousand successful operations carried out under hypnosis, including 300 major ops and 19 amputations. Most post operation-related deaths at the time were due to blood loss and shock. Using hypnosis (then called Mesmerism or Magnetism), and Esdaile cut the post-operative death rate in his hospital from 50% to 5%.

There is plenty of evidence that our emotional state affects the amount of pain we experience. This is why people in emergency situations can ignore pain from their injuries long enough to escape, and why soldiers sometimes fail to notice wounds in the heat of battle.

Studies also show that people who are happy and relaxed tend to report less pain than those who are anxious or depressed, so encouraging relaxation and confidence may be part of how hypnosis works.

Using hypnotherapy for pain control

Before using hypnosis as part of a pain control regime, you need to be aware of the following:

• hypnotherapy is a complementary treatment, not an alternative one so it works alongside conventional medicine not instead of it,
• hypnotherapists are not doctors, and a proper diagnosis for the cause of your pain is essential. An ethical hypnotherapist will ask you to see your GP before working with you,
• you will need to get your GP’s permission before working with a hypnotherapist on pain control,
• you’ll need to continue prescription medications unless your doctor says you can change the dose,
• hypnosis cannot treat, heal or cure the original condition which caused the pain, so you will still need to see your GP from time to time to monitor this.

What medical conditions can hypnotherapy help with?

Hypnosis is best known for its use in the relief of dental pain, in childbirth (hypnobirthing) and to reduce the symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). But it also helps with arthritis, ME, FM (fibromyalgia), morning sickness and nausea, postoperative pain, cancer, and in many other circumstances.

As with anything else, hypnosis is not a magic wand, but most people can learn to use the techniques effectively.

If you want to use hypnosis this way, please contact me for more information.