Control Pain with Hypnosis

The mind and body are connected. When your body experiences pain this signal is sent to the brain; which is how you feel it. When you are already overwhelmed with stress this can cause the pain signal to increase; meaning you will be in more pain. There are many ways to treat pain and the stress that might be part of the cause. Some of the things that can be done for pain control are hypnosis and mediation.

Surgery and Pain

Often just hearing the words that you need surgery will cause stress on the body. Through this process you might start to question yourself. Thing like, what are the complications, how bad will this hurt, how long will I be down, and do I really want to do this, will all swirl around in your head. Dealing with these questions is an important part of pain control.

Most often people who come to hypnosis for pain control do so before they ever go under the knife. By working with a hypnotherapist ahead of the surgical procedure people have fewer complications, less pain, and earlier recovery times. The reason for this is that hypnosis helps to put control back to the patient.

How Hypnosis Works

When you hear hypnosis the first thing that pops into your head might be a stage show; where a stage performer gets random audience members to walk like a chicken or perform some other embarrassing act for the amusement of the rest of the audience. This unfortunately, is not a realistic picture of hypnosis.

Medical hypnosis or hypnotherapy is not about parlor tricks or audience amusement. It is an actual altered state of awareness and through this altered state physical discomfort, or pain, can be lessened or completely diminished. In a hypnosis session the conscious part of the brain is distracted so communication with the subconscious can happen.

While in this state the mind is more focused and we are able to adjust our thoughts more effectively. It has been scientifically proven that under hypnosis patients have been able to slow their pulse rate, adjust their respiration, and shift their brain waves. In this same state a hypnotherapist can offer a post-hypnotic suggestion to reduce pain. When out of the hypnotic state that post-hypnotic suggestion will help the patient to reduce pain when confronted with it.

Benefits of Hypnosis for Pain Relief

The benefits of hypnosis for pain go way beyond theory or ideas. There is real research and scientific evidence that supports hypnosis as a way to deal with pain. Studies done since the late 1990’s have proven hypnosis to be effective in dealing with cancer pain, burns, rheumatoid arthritis, anxiety for surgery, labor and childbirth, and surgical recovery.

It is recommended if you have never done hypnosis to work with a trained hypnotherapist the first time. A first session will often be a longer session as the therapist will want to work with you to determine the root of your pain. Once that is discovered the first induction phase of hypnosis will be done more slowly and after time working with the therapist you will need less induction time. After time you will be able to do self hypnosis to deal with any pain yourself.

Hypnosis and Meditation

Hypnosis can also help you to develop meditation skills for pain management and control. Often through meditation you can relieve stress; which makes hypnosis easier and pain control possible. When working with a hypnotherapist they will give you tips on how to make meditation work in your life.

The two most popular meditation techniques are:

Transcendental meditation: In this mediation practice the patient repeats a word or phrase. Focus is on this phrase and other thoughts or feelings should be allowed to pass by without thought.

Mindfulness Meditation: In this form of mediation the patient focuses on thoughts and sensations. By watching thoughts and sensations and letting them flow stress is more easily reduced.

No matter if you use hypnosis mediation or a combination of the two pain relief and pain control are possible. These techniques can be used before surgery, after surgery or any time pain is active in your body.

If you're interested in learning more about how hypnosis can help manage your pain, continue reading here: http://www.hypnotranquility.com/articles/pain-management/hypnosis-for-pain-management