Medical Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy
Phoenix, AZ
The mind is a great healer.
- Hippocrates
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy are classified as part of alternative medicine, alternative therapy, adjunct therapy and complementary therapy or medicine.
In 1958, the American Medical Association accepted hypnosis as an adjunct to main stream medicine. The American Psychological Association created a chapter for psychologists intending to use hypnosis as their primary tool in 1969. However, hypnosis has been videly use in Europe and through the world for decades prior to being accepted in the US.
Dr. Benson states that "between 60 to 90% of all the population’s visits to doctor’s offices are stress-related and probably cannot be detected, much less treated effectively."
Dr. Benson further writes “…the vast majority of the time, patients bring medical concerns to the attention of a healing professional that cannot heal them with external tools and devices. Instead, doctors must rely on the patients’ internal mechanism. Much of the success the medical profession achieves is not due to anything doctors do or dispense that is inherently healing. We should really attribute the success of many medical treatments to the inherent healing power within individuals.”
Similarly, studies in England and the U.S. have found that from 50 to 75% of all problems presented to primary care clinics are emotional, social, or familial in origin, although they are being expressed as pain or illness.
Another study found that 74 % of the complaints patients bring to medical clinics are of unknown origin and are probably caused by “psychosocial” factors.
Most people do not know how to express distressing emotions such as fear, grief or anger. Usually, they employ defensive mechanisms to suppress their unpleasant feelings. Eventually, however these emotions will surface often disguised as pain or illness.
The following is a partial list of the fields of medicine and the conditions/illnesses successfully treated with hypnosis and hypnotherapy:
Dentistry - Dental Hypnosis: Analgesia & Anesthesia for dental surgery or procedures, Anxiety and Fear, Bleeding, Bruxism, Discomfort associated with dentures, Gagging, TMJ, Excessive Salivation
Dermatology: Warts, Hyperhidrosis, Pruritis, Alopecia Areata, Trichotillomania, Herpes, Neurodermatitis, Pain associated with treatment of burns
Internal Medicine: Allergy, Anorexia Nervosa, Arthritis and Rheumatism, Bronchial Asthma, Cardiovascular Disorders, Coronary Disease, Immune and Autoimmune Disorders, Tension Headaches, Hypertension, Migraine Headaches, Obesity, Psychosomatic Gastrointestinal Disorders, Raynaud’s Disease, Stress-Related Problems
Obstetrics and Gynecology: Amenorrhea, Female Infertility, Heartburn of Pregnancy, Lactation, Low Back Pain, Menopause, Natural Hypnotic Labor, Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy, PMS, Pseudocyesis (Pseudopregnancy)
Hypnosis or self-hypnosis is also a viable modality in the field of mental health disorders, and it is beneficial for behavior modification therapy in the treatment of substance abuse.
In psychiatric nursing, hypnosis can be taught to depressed and agitated patients to help them relax, alleviate stress and tension, and create a sense of well-being.
Additionally, hypnosis can also benefit rehabilitation, intensive care, and pediatric patients. During rehabilitation, patients can be taught hypnotic relaxation and imagery to teach preventative and restorative skills. ICU patients can gain much needed periods of rest and relaxation.
Particularly patients with cardiovascular insults, such as supraventricular arrythmias, ventricular ectopic beats, and paroxysmal tachycardias, can benefit from hypnotic relaxation and guided imagery.
Pediatric patients can benefit from the use of hypnosis as well as can adult patients. Just as adults, young patients can utilize hypnosis and self-hypnosis to minimize pain, fear, and anxiety associated with injections or diagnostic procedures.
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