Pain
Management
Powerful
Achievement of Hypnosis
Recently a Consulting Hypnotist received a call from the wife of a friend he had not seen for more than two years. He knew that the friend had been treated surgically for cancer of the kidney, but he had heard that the operation had proven successful and all was well. Unfortunately this was not the case.
The wife asked the hypnotist if he would see the
husband and try to relieve the intense pain that he was suffering.
The hypnotist requested medical authority to enter into the case and was
advised that the situation was terminal, and that everything possible had been
done - any help in pain relief was more than welcome.
The prognosis was for about six months of life.
The situation was such that the patient could not visit the
office, so the Consulting Hypnotist offered to make a house call.
He had some concern about the hypnotizability of the patient, since
hypnosis usually requires an ability to focus attention as directed by the
hypnotist in the fixation phase of the induction.
It was possible that the sheer intensity of the pain was so great that
diversion of attention from it would be difficult or impossible.
Anticipating that repeat visits would be difficult in view of the medical and family situations, the hypnotist made a tape dealing with relaxation, rest and pain reduction, taking it with him on the call. On arriving he learned that he was ill prepared to face the situation confronting him. His friend was in bed, face contorted with agony, with a tube in the arm connected to a button, which released morphine on demand. The morphine now provided minimal relief.
THE POWER OF THE MIND
The hypnotist called the family into the room together
with the patient, to acquaint them with the plan and procedures.
After the family was informed, members left and the hypnotist talked for
some time with the patient, discussing hypnosis, the powers of the mind and
pain. An induction was begun, and
while it was slow going at the beginning, the patient did slip into hypnotic
trance and responded very well once relaxation was achieved.
He was programmed for alleviation of pain, control of emotions, ability
to take nourishment and respond to treatment.
He was given a special cue to use for pain relief when discomfort became
particularly intense. He was given the tape and advised it would work the
same as the
hypnotic session and would provide similar relief when used.
On awakening the patient commented that he had not rested so well in
months.
In six weeks the patient died. At the funeral services the wife told the hypnotist the
final six weeks had been bearable for both the patient and the family due to the
tape. She commented that when the
pain became intense the patient would ask for the tape, and when it was begun
the time required to move from deep pain to total relaxation was approximately
thirty seconds. 
It was evident that the expectation of relief more that the content of the tape was the effective element. Such is the power of the mind.
APPLICATIONS AND TECHNIQUES
Hypnosis strategies for achieving pain relief are
numerous. Effectiveness can vary and the choice may depend on the condition and
personality of the patient. Suggestions
may be direct or indirect or may use anesthesia, guided imagery, hypno-analysis
or other procedures.
Physical pain is seldom constant. The hypnotist will determine if the patient has experienced
periods, however briefly, which were free of pain. If the patient reports the pain is constant it is quite
frequently psychologically focused. Treatment
will likely involve the establishment of rapport with empathy and appreciation
of the value of pain. Hypnotic
regression to the cause of the problem can lead to understanding and relief.
Through hypnosis patients frequently can be shown that they can control their pain, and being able to do so they can also diminish pain to tolerable levels or turn it off completely at will.
In many cases of uncertain diagnoses seemingly endless periods of tests, which prove
inconclusive, or accompanied by conflicting diagnosis, can instill levels of
fear or confusion that may be dealt with through hypnosis. Guilt, anger or other emotional problems often enter into the
picture especially when accidents are involved as source conditions.
Negative attitudes must also be dealt with, and again the
capability of hypnosis to modify attitudes becomes important.
In difficult cases the power to cope can be programmed into the
patent’s mind, possibility together with cues to make the process more or less
automatic.
In dealing with pain situations, teaching the patient the
use of self-hypnosis techniques can be highly beneficial, reinforcing the
programming that has been done in the case.
A reasonable Consulting Hypnotist usually will not work with
physical pain without being in communication with an appropriate physician, for
the simple reason that pain is more of a symptom than a condition.
Pain indicates that something is wrong, somewhere, and that it is true
whether the pain is primarily focused physically or psychologically.
It would be the height of folly to treat a migraine headache only to have
it turn out to be brain cancer.
Before using Hypnosis for Pain Management it is best to consult your doctor.
Wellness Hypno-Therapeutics, Green Bay/Oconto, WI
For an appointment or more information (920) 227-8186