Hypnosis for pain treatment: what it is and how it works

This therapeutic tool focuses on attentional processes to relieve pain.

In everyday life, and without realizing it, we experience a very specific natural process of the mind; for example, when we are absorbed watching a movie or reading a book, or when we are driving thinking about our things without being aware of the journey we are making.

These states have a lot to do with hypnosis. This is a technique that is increasingly used in clinical psychology to treat different problems or pathologies. In this article we will know the hypnosis for the treatment of the pain.

The hypnosis like psychological tool

The state of hypnosis discussed at the beginning of this article occurs spontaneously, but it can also be induced by psychological strategies.

The American Psychological Association (APA) in 1996 defined hypnosis as a procedure during which changes in sensations, thoughts, feelings and behavior occur.

Hypnosis is now considered a scientific tool a scientific tool that is used by physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatrists, psychiatrists, psychiatrists... Through it we can work with those deepest and most automatic aspects of the mind, to produce changes that help to improve the health of patients and develop their potential.

Almost any aspect that involves the mind is susceptible to be treated by hypnosis.

Hypnosis for the treatment of pain

Pain is a mechanism of our organism that warns us or indicates that something is not working well.. But there are times when Pain becomes pathological and dysfunctional, and this occurs when it becomes chronic, and loses its warning or adaptive function. Chronic pain is considered to be that which persists for more than three months (Merskey and Bogduk, 1994).

The qualification of chronic pain includes various pathologies such as: low back pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and headaches. In these, current psychology is working to determine the psychological factors involved in their development, maintenance, chronification, treatment and/or recovery (especially the psychology of health).

In these cases, psychological and physical suffering, as well as stress, are added to the pain, which in turn feed back into the pain.which in turn feed back on the pain itself, producing a vicious circle.

This tool allows to work in different ways, with the aim of reducing or eliminating chronic pain. In addition, it also allows working with acute pain in those cases in which such pain is of no use to the body (non-functional).

Hypnosis for the treatment of pain is based on the idea that pain is a biopsychosocial phenomenon where emotions, behaviors and thoughts play a key role. Thus, hypnosis can be used to promote changes in these factors and consequently reduce pain.

How is it used to relieve discomfort?

Hypnosis, like relaxation, can be applied as a stand-alone technique or as an integral part of other therapies.. When it is included within other techniques, the results are usually improved.

Hypnosis for the treatment of pain can help to reduce anxiety, and thus indirectly act on the pain.

On the other hand, hypnosis can constitute a mechanism with which to the patient concentrates on some stimulus and leaves the painful sensation in the unconscious part of the body.. Sometimes, even the belief that hypnosis will work can change the patient's beliefs and a "placebo effect" may appear that reduces pain (Moix, 2002).

Self-hypnosis

An element that should also be considered in the application of hypnosis in therapy (and, specifically, in hypnosis to treat pain), essential for the development of the same, is the practice of self-hypnosis to the patient.

The objective is that the patient is trained and learns to apply hypnosis in order to to be able to relieve their pain where and when they wish, beyond the consultation situation..

Scientific evidence

Several scientific studies have demonstrated the usefulness of hypnosis for the treatment of pain and for other types of problems or pathologies, together with potentiating or therapeutic options. Even in many countries this tool is included in the public health system..

In 2005, the Mayo Clinic in New York carried out a meta-study on hypnosis, which highlighted 19 pathologies where hypnosis was favorable and indicated. It is also supported by several studies published in prestigious medical journals such as Nature, Science or Oncology.

On the other hand, hypnosis in the medical field is used in numerous hospitals and clinics around the world. It is also a technique that is studied in most medical universities in the Saxon world. Also in Europe it is used, in cities like Belgium and France, and if the patient wishes it, as psychic anesthesia or as an adjuvant to chemical anesthesia..

In the clinical setting, hypnosis is currently used in Spain for pain, in the Pain Unit of the University Hospital of Tarragona, in patients with fibromyalgia and through self-hypnosis. It is also used in the Sleep Unit of the Rubber Clinic in Madrid and in the Hospital la pau in Madrid, in Oncology (by a group of volunteers).

Myths and misunderstandings

There are a number of myths about hypnosis that we must demystify. Here we will talk about three of them:

Aggravation of physical or mental illnesses 2.

Hypnosis in itself does not aggravate or worsen physical or mental illnesses, but a malpractice of the therapy in a hypnotic process on the part of the practitioner, could be harmful.

2. The hypnotist can do whatever he wants with the hypnotized person.

This is not so; all hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis, and therefore the hypnotized person (or patient) agrees to make things happen. If the hypnotist were to give any instruction against his morals or will, the patient could simply not obey such a suggestion, as well as exit the hypnotic processand to leave the hypnotic process whenever he/she wished to do so.

3. Hypnosis requires no effort on the part of the patient.

Although in the hypnosis session the mental work may be experienced as automatic and pleasant, the person remains in an active state that requires effort. In addition, his or her involvement and good predisposition are necessary for it to be effective.

Bibliographical references:

• Merskey, H. and Bogduk, N. (1994). Description of chronic pain syndromes and definitions of pain terms. In: Classification of Chronic Pain, 2nd ed. Seattle, WA: IASP press.
• Moix, J. (2002). Hypnosis in the treatment of pain. Journal of the Spanish Pain Society, 9,525-532.
• Jensen, M. and Patterson, D. R. (2006). Hypnotic treatment of chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29, 95-124.
• Moix, J. and Casado, M.I. (2011). Psychological Therapies for the Treatment of Chronic Pain. Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid: Clínica y Salud, 22(1), 41-50.