I have been asked many times whether hypnosis can be used to minimize pain during surgery (referred to as ‘medical hypnosis’). The short answer is ‘yes’, although it is most commonly limited to those surgeries involving local anesthetics. In 1958, both the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association recognized hypnotherapy as a valid medical procedure. Since 1995, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recommended hypnotherapy as a treatment for chronic pain (NIH reference).

From personal experience, I commonly use self-hypnosis for pain control during any dental procedure which would normally involve a local anesthetic, and I recently used it for minor surgery on my arm involving 18 stitches; no pain. One excellent self-help book on self hypnosis is Instant Self-Hypnosis: How to Hypnotize Yourself with Your Eyes Open by author Forbes Robbin Blair. A more advanced book for practicing hypnosis and for hypnotherapists is Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy Basic to Advanced Techniques for the Professional, written by Calvin D. Banyan and illustrated in the above image.

Let’s take a glimpse at how the medical community is actively using hypnosis for pain management on a much more challenging level. Read More…