Maria Sonnenberg discusses the use of hypnosis for managing chronic pain.
Hypnosis has been proven effective in helping control chronic pain, one of the most common reasons for patients to seek medical care, yet many doctors and patients still fail to buy into this powerful healing tool.
“A lot of people don’t understand hypnosis, and some are fearful by what they see on television about it,” said hypnotherapist Susan Sawyer, who acknowledges that only a small percentage of the clients she sees in her Satellite Beach office seek help with chronic pain issues.
The British Medical Association and the American Medical Association approved the clinical use of hypnosis more than 50 years ago. According to studies published by the National Institute of Health, hypnosis can provide significant relief for chronic pain, defined as pain that persists for six months or more. In a study of breast cancer patients by Mount Sinai School of Medicine, individuals who participated in a 15-minute session of presurgery hypnosis reported a 53 percent decrease in pain intensity and 74 percent decrease in nausea, when compared with patients who did not go through hypnosis.
If hypnosis works, why don’t more people use it?
“Pills are easier,” said Dr. Kathy Doner, a physician who practices hypnotherapy in Melbourne and Sebastian. Only about 10 percent of Doner’s hypnotherapy clients seek help for pain management.
Doner, who practiced internal medicine before, was a fan of hypnosis right out of medical school. She remains an anomaly in the medical profession.
“Doctors are not at all trained in hypnosis,” she said. “I was the exception.”
Doner became interested in hypnosis when she viewed a video of one of her medical student friends who underwent nasal septum deviation surgery without the use of anesthetics.
“The only anesthesiologist was the hypnotist,” she said.
When blood gushed out during the procedure, the patient was able to diminish its flow, just through hypnosis.
See Sonnenberg’s complete discussion in her original article for much more.
Speaking of hypnosis, you can learn a whole slew of new techniques by checking out our video training programs in hypnosis which are in general release.
If you’re in Taipei and interested in hypnosis, check the services page linked to in the top left sidebar. Not in Taipei? Check the store for recordings in the same menu area as well as links to lots and lots of info and goodies. Of course, browsing this site will bring you to a digital ton of positive resources on a wide variety of topics as well.
Brian
www.BrianDavidPhillips.net
