| When people set aside the usual myths and | | | | Radiology at Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston, MA. |
| misconceptions associated with hypnosis good | | | | Her study involved 241 patients receiving |
| things usually happen. Recently, hypnosis has been | | | | percutaneous vascular and renal procedures either |
| getting some positive national exposure increasing | | | | received no special treatment, structured |
| the publics general awareness of its health related | | | | attention or self-hypnotic relaxation. "Structured |
| benefits and its role as an increasingly popular | | | | attention and self-hypnotic relaxation proved |
| frontline holistic healer. Hypnosis is non-invasive, | | | | beneficial during invasive medical procedures. |
| soothing and once the client understands the | | | | Hypnosis had more profound effects on pain and |
| process they may continue making healthy | | | | anxiety reduction, and is superior, in that it also |
| changes all on their own. | | | | improves hemodynamic stability." (4) |
| Hypnosis is the simple process of accessing | | | | Other studies reveal more positive results: |
| subconscious thought. The subconscious mind has | | | | "Positive intraoperative suggestions seem to have |
| many important functions; it is where all our | | | | a significant effect in reducing morphine |
| values, beliefs, habits and patterns reside. It also is | | | | requirements in the early postoperative period." |
| the home of our body's control center. It | | | | (5) |
| regulates our heart rate, breathing and | | | | "Patients in the hypnosis group had significantly |
| coordinates every step we take. | | | | less vomiting, 39% compared to 68% in the |
| Having the key to such a powerful place enables | | | | control group, less nausea and less need of |
| us to initiate positive changes supporting how our | | | | analgesics postoperatively. Preoperative hypnotic |
| body responds to situations like stress, fear, pain, | | | | techniques in breast surgery contribute to a |
| depression or even the trauma of surgery. Clients | | | | reduction of both post operative nausea and |
| fortunate enough to be given the option of | | | | vomiting and postoperative analgesic |
| receiving hypnosis prior to, and after surgical | | | | requirements." (6) |
| procedures, sing its praises. Also, scientific | | | | "Anxiety before the operation increased |
| research supports these claims with reduced | | | | significantly in the control group but remained at |
| complications and medication needs; more timely | | | | baseline level in the experimental (hypnosis) group. |
| recoveries and shorter hospital stays, which is | | | | Postoperative consumption of analgesics was |
| good for everyone. | | | | significantly reduced in the experimental (hypnosis) |
| "An average savings of $1,200 per patient | | | | group compared to the control (non-hypnosis) |
| resulted from this simple 5-minute intervention." | | | | group." (7) |
| (1) | | | | "A significant correlation was found between |
| Another study discovered that the hypnosis | | | | anxiety and perceived knowledge of procedures. |
| group did better than 89% of those who did not | | | | The results suggest that pre-operative hypnosis |
| receive hypnosis. "These data strongly support | | | | provides a quick and effective way to reduce |
| the use of hypnosis with surgical patients." (2) | | | | pre-operative patient anxiety and anesthetic |
| Hypnosis isn't magic, its nature. We all go in and | | | | requirements for gynecological daycare surgery." |
| out of hypnotic-like trance several times a day. | | | | (8) |
| We call it day dreaming or zoning out. Hypnosis is | | | | Through the early 20th century the debate was if |
| the process of enabling this dream-like state to | | | | hypnosis existed at all. The American Medical |
| occur and then offering helpful direction, which | | | | Association said it did in 1958 and since then |
| support the client's specific goals. | | | | hypnosis has been dissected and analyzed and the |
| Surgical hypnosis involves relaxation, improved | | | | positive results are available for anyone to read. |
| immune response and circulation that minimizes | | | | Now the debate is over and the verdict is in. It |
| infection and promotes rapid healing. By increasing | | | | may not be for everyone, but what is? Hypnosis |
| endorphin production pain is minimized requiring | | | | is safe, relaxing and an effective option for clients |
| less medication and the unwanted side effects | | | | going through the trauma of surgery. There are |
| that usually result. And because the imagination | | | | no side effects or allergic reactions and it costs |
| resides in subconscious thought, wonderful images | | | | next to nothing. Some also believe that it should |
| show the client relaxed, comfortable and | | | | be the client's right, not the hospital's option, as to |
| successful further reinforcing this positive plan. | | | | which holistic supports are available. Someday |
| This healthy direction creates a blueprint, which | | | | soon it will hopefully be as simple as selecting |
| becomes reality. Surgical Hypnosis disconnects | | | | 'hypnosis' on a pre-op check list. |
| patterns of fear and worry. It puts the client in | | | | (1) Disbrow EA. Bennett HL. Owings JT. Effect of |
| the drivers seat when need they need it most. In | | | | preoperative suggestion on postoperative |
| life we all follow the path of our most dominant | | | | gastrointestinal motility Western Journal of |
| thoughts and with hypnosis you get the unique | | | | Medicine. 1993; 158(5): 488-92. |
| opportunity to create the thoughts and images, | | | | (2) The Effectiveness of Adjunctive Hypnosis |
| which serve you best. What your mind conceives | | | | with Surgical Patients: A Meta-Analysis Guy H. |
| your body achieves. | | | | Montgomery, PhD*, Daniel David, PhD*, Gary |
| In the mid 1840's when John Elliotson and James | | | | Winkel, PhD*, Jeffrey H. Silverstein, MD , and Dana |
| Esdaile began using hypnosis in the surgical setting | | | | H. Bovbjerg, PhD* |
| as an anesthetic with great success. Prior to their | | | | (3) Origins of Surgical Hypnosis. John F. Kihlstrom |
| efforts mortality rate was 40%; with hypnosis it | | | | (4) Adjunctive non-pharmacological analgesia for |
| was 5%. In spite of their success hypnosis would | | | | invasive medical procedures: a randomized trial. |
| soon take a backseat to either, nitrous oxide and | | | | Elvira V Lang, Eric G Benotsch, Lauri J Fick, Susan |
| chloroform by the late 1840's. (3) | | | | Lutgendorf, Michael L Berbaum, Kevin S Berbaum, |
| The 3 important keys to success with hypnosis | | | | Henrietta Logan, David Spiegel. The Lancet, Vol |
| are how open a client is to this type of relaxation, | | | | 355, April 29, 2000, pages 1486-1490. |
| how motivated they are to make positive | | | | (5) McLintock TT. Aitken H. Downie CF. Kenny GN. |
| changes and how prepared the hypnotist is to | | | | Postoperative analgesic requirements in patients |
| offer the suggestions and imagery supporting the | | | | exposed to positive intraoperative suggestions. |
| desired change. Hypnosis is a relationship of trust | | | | BMJ 1990; 301(6755): 788-90 |
| and co-operation. If a client believes the hypnotist | | | | (6) Enqvist B. Bjorklund C. Engman M. Jakobsson J. |
| is working in their best interest they are likely to | | | | Preoperative hypnosis reduces postoperative |
| be more open minded and accepting, ensuring | | | | vomiting after surgery of the breasts. Acta |
| positive results. | | | | Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 1997; 41(8): |
| It is impossible to predict the outcome of any | | | | 1028-32. |
| treatment option but when clients understand the | | | | (7)Enqvist B. Fischer K. Preoperative hypnotic |
| technique, benefits and are involved with the | | | | techniques reduce consumption of analgesics after |
| process, results are consistently positive. Also, | | | | surgical removal of third mandibular molars: a brief |
| considering the mountain of research supporting | | | | communication. International Journal of Clinical & |
| clinical hypnosis as an effective compliment to | | | | Experimental Hypnosis 1997; 45(2): 102-8. |
| traditional medicine, the time has come to open | | | | (8)Goldmann L. Ogg TW. Levey AB. Hypnosis and |
| the door to this and other holistic options. | | | | daycase anaesthesia. A study to reduce |
| An advocate and practitioner of surgical hypnosis | | | | pre-operative anxiety and intra-operative |
| is Elvira Lang MD. Dr. Lang teaches at Harvard | | | | anaesthetic requirements. Anaesthesia 1988; |
| University and is the Director of Interventional | | | | 43(6): 466-9. |