Health is a state of wholeness, mentally, emotionally, physically. Pain is an all too familiar problem and probably the most common reason that people see their doctor. Nevertheless, pain serves an important purpose by alerting us to injury therefore medical diagnosis is always necessary. Chronic pain however, is often more complex and dishing out painkillers is just too superficial.

We often think of pain as a purely physical sensation but pain has biological, psychological and emotional factors too. Furthermore, chronic pain can cause feelings such as anger, hopelessness, sadness and anxiety. To treat pain effectively, we must address the physical, emotional and psychological aspects. 

With hypnotherapy we can train the mind to disassociate from the feeling and perception of pain and so become less aware of the sensation of pain or discomfort. Research suggests that healing, blood loss, pain medication, general anaesthetics and scarring are significantly reduced when clinical hypnosis is included as part of the pre-operation preparation. 

Chronic conditions such as IBS have been shown to benefit from hypnotherapy. Irritable bowel syndrome is a common, functional disorder of the digestive system whereby the nerves and muscles don’t work as they should. Hypnotherapy and relaxation training has been found to help ease symptoms of IBS and is recommended as a therapy by NICE. 

Diseases such as Cancer have also shown to respond well to hypnotherapy. Cancer Research UK states, “As with many types of complementary therapy, some people with cancer use hypnotherapy to help them relax and cope with symptoms and treatment. Hypnotherapy might help some people feel more comfortable and in control of their situation.” CRUK goes on to say “People with cancer most often use hypnotherapy for sickness or pain. There is some evidence that hypnotherapy helps with these symptoms. It can also help with depression, anxiety and stress. Some reports show that hypnosis can help people to reduce their blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and pain. Hypnosis can create relaxing brainwave patterns. Some clinical trials have looked at how well hypnotherapy works for people with cancer.” Used alongside conventional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy hypnotherapy plays a very important role in reducing anxiety and managing pain and discomfort. 

Many dentists today offer hypnotherapy, not only as a tool in alleviating fears and installing a sense of calm to their patients, but as an aid in pain control during dental procedures and dental surgery.

Psychoneuroimmunology is a field of science that studies the relationship between the mind and the body’s immune system which thankfully, helps promote the use of hypnosis in mainstream medicine.