Reply To: Has anyone tried hypnotherapy?

[Louise]

It is indeed a highly complex subject and one that I cannot possibly write in a paragraph or so….I suggest you get hold of some research posted on the net ( you should be able to find clinical trial and controlled studies etc easily, there is an excellent book on hypnosis in the relief of pain written by Ernest Hilgard et al – a professors of psychology and psychiatry. All I can really say as a therapist is that Ive worked with a number of patients recently who were considering undergoing spinal surgery, have had a very brief amount of sessions and made the decision to decline surgery because they have changed their ‘mindset’ and little by little the pain no longer bothered them.- as I explained at the beginning our thoughts and feeling manifest into physical symptoms, because they impact on our nerves, muscles, ligaments etc, which means we then even if we are not aware of it. tense up and so oxegen deprevation takes place causing all sorts of symptoms including numbness and tingling and further pain. Just as if you focused on your pain now and also focused on a really upsetting emotion or event your pain gets worse. you hav’nt done anything different other than use your mind.