Posted for March 2016
There has been a lot of media discussion recently about the use of hypnosis to manage chronic pain. This has resulted in an increased number of inquiries to the office of the Louisville Hypnosis Academy seeking information relative to hypnotherapy and pain control. The question: Is hypnosis effective for pain management?
A research report that is posted on the website of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (National Institute of Health) seeks to answer that question. The authors of that report (two from the University of Washington School of Medicine and one from Texas A&M University College of Medicine) reviewed thirteen controlled research trials on hypnosis and pain management that had previously been reported in various peer-reviewed professional journals. The overall conclusion of their work was that pain management interventions using hypnosis “consistently produce(d) significant decreases in pain” when applied to a wide range of chronic pain issues. The report indicates that hypnosis generally outperformed most other non-drug methods of long-term pain management.
In another research report that appears on the website of the American Psychological Association, researchers conclude that hypnosis was effective in pain reduction and, for hospitalized patients, often resulted in shorter hospital stays and overall patient satisfaction.
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy should be considered as an adjunct to professional medical and/or psychological treatment—not in place of such care. For more information about hypnosis and pain management, speak with a Certified Hypnotherapist at the Louisville Hypnosis Academy.