More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Hypnosis Rediscovering a Timeless Health Technology
Hypnosis has proven itself to be an ageless technology. Used throughout the world for centuries, hypnosis came to prominence in the U.S. during the civil war-era when it was used to sedate patients. It remained the anesthetic of choice for many doctors and patients during the 19th century. Today, hypnosis is considered an effective form of treatment to reduce pain, discomfort, and anxiety surrounding conventional medical procedures and has even been shown to speed recovery and improve healing by naturally re-energizing the body after illness.
As the understanding and utilization of hypnosis grows, many patients find it to be the “missing link” in their treatment plans. Cancer patients, for example, often report that hypnosis complements their chemotherapy, providing a calming, effective relief for chemo's side effects, such as nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite. These benefits have been tested and proven in modern studies, including several recent NIH-funded studies that found hypnosis to be clinically effective in reducing pain and anxiety in a variety of patients, from women undergoing breast biopsies to pediatric bone-marrow aspirations to those undergoing lumbar punctures.
Perhaps one of the most attractive and beneficial aspects of hypnosis is that it is a chemical-free alternative to pharmaceutical relief, and has virtually zero side effects or drug interactions. Imagine if your pain reliever of choice came with zero risk of dependency and addiction, and instead left you feeling revitalized and empowered?
A skilled hypnotherapist acts as an empowering guide through illness and recovery and helps patients create personalized and lasting mind-body tools on their own terms that can be used whenever and wherever needed. For patients with chronic illnesses that have already been robbed of so much control over their lives and livelihoods, hypnotherapy can give them a sense of control as they develop tools and techniques for pain management and stress-reduction in partnership with their hypnotherapist.
In spite of its proven viability, hypnosis is often overlooked in favor of more conventional approaches. As we gain more knowledge about the side-effects and addictive nature of many pain relievers, viable, healthy alternatives like hypnosis and Reiki a natural and effective pain treatment will most certainly grow in popularity and demand. For those who have already discovered the value and power of hypnosis to improve their lives and relieve their pain, this will be old news.
