Did you know… that hypnosis and hypnotherapy is an effective tool for medical patients before surgery, after treatments and in the managing of symptoms?
- Surgery patients who learned simple relaxation and meditation techniques stayed in the hospital an average of 1.5 days fewer than those in a control group. Results include faster recovery from surgery, fewer complications and reduced post-surgical pains. Findings were consistent in 191 independent studies.
University of Wisconsin School of Nursing, Patient Education and Counseling 1992
Did you know that it has also been used in the treatment of IBS, fibromyalgia, pain symptoms, dental surgery, cancer treatment, diabetes, hypertension and lifestyle management? Medical hypnosis is used by professionals trained in medicine, psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, and dentistry to promote wellness.
- Presently, there is moderate support for the integration of hypnotic techniques in the treatment of a number of medical problems. This critical review of the research literature focuses on the empirical research on the effectiveness of hypnotic treatments as adjuncts to medical care for anxiety related to medical and dental procedures, asthma, dermatological diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, hemorrhagic disorders, nausea and emesis in oncology and obstetrics/gynecology.
Pinnell, C. M., & Covino, N. A. (2000). Empirical findings on the use of hypnosis in medicine: A critical review. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48(2), 170-194. Doi: 10.1080/002071400008410047
Hypnosis has historically been used in healing for a long time, and has been called by many different names such as NLP, Biofeedback, Mind Healing, Sleep-Healing, Divine Healing, and Guided Imagery. Although misnamed “hypnosis” after the Greek god of sleep ‘Hypnos’, hypnosis is not sleep at all. We now have advanced technology in neuroimaging of the brain with PET scans, functional MRIs and EEG which show that individuals producing and experiencing hypnosis are awake and in a heightened state of concentration and focus.
Hypnosis may seem magical, but it is not magic. Hypnosis is a collection of methods that allow therapist and patient to find the best and safest way to use the mind-body connection to bring about the medical benefits of hypnosis. Today we now refer to hypnosis under the heading of mind-body medicine. Hypnosis is safe, inexpensive, has no negative side-effects, uses no drugs, and most importantly, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.